Caralluma fimbriata
Encyclopedia
Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent plant in the family Apocynaceae
. It has been eaten in rural India
for centuries, raw, as a vegetable with spices, or preserved in chutney
s and pickle
s, and is often found as a roadside shrub or boundary marker.
It has been used as a portable food and thirst quencher for hunting. It is also used for its purported ability to suppress hunger and appetite and enhance stamina. It is believed to have an effect on the appetite control centre of the brain. Tribesmen on a day's hunt will often only pack some Caralluma fimbriata to sustain themselves and hence it is commonly known as "famine food
" in India.
In a small clinical trial conducted in India, modest benefits of Caralluma fimbriata extracts were observed. In the study, 50 overweight individuals were given either a placebo or one gram of extract each day for 60 days. Compared to the placebo group, individuals receiving the extract showed no significant change in body weight, body mass index, hip circumference, body fat or energy intake; however, both appetite and waist circumference were reduced. In another study led by Kamalakkannan et.al., on diet induced obese rat model, they found that supplementing caralluma fimbrata at a dose of 25,50 and 100mg/Kg body weight was effective in reducing feed intake and weight gain in a dose dependent manner.Histopathological study of the thoracic aorta revealed that the plant extract was effective in reducing atheroma plaque formation. This study revealed that caralluma fimbrata has anti-obesogenic and anti-atherogenic property.
Various diet pills claiming to contain Caralluma fimbriata extracts are aggressively marketed for weight loss. However there is no independent evidence to suggest that the amount of extract found in these products is sufficient to obtain the same results as the clinical trial. The FTC
cautions against the use of such "miracle diet" products.
The key phytochemical constituents of the herb are pregnane
glycosides, flavone glycosides, megastigmane glycosides, and saponin
s.
Apocynaceae
The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments. There are also perennial herbs...
. It has been eaten in rural India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for centuries, raw, as a vegetable with spices, or preserved in chutney
Chutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
s and pickle
Pickle
Pickling is a process of preserving food. Pickle or pickling may refer to:-Food:* Pickled cucumber* Pickled onion* Pickled herring* Indian pickle includes oil-based food preservation* Branston and similar sweet pickle relishes...
s, and is often found as a roadside shrub or boundary marker.
It has been used as a portable food and thirst quencher for hunting. It is also used for its purported ability to suppress hunger and appetite and enhance stamina. It is believed to have an effect on the appetite control centre of the brain. Tribesmen on a day's hunt will often only pack some Caralluma fimbriata to sustain themselves and hence it is commonly known as "famine food
Famine food
A famine food or poverty food is any inexpensive or readily-available foodstuff used to nourish people in times of extreme poverty or starvation, as during a war or famine...
" in India.
In a small clinical trial conducted in India, modest benefits of Caralluma fimbriata extracts were observed. In the study, 50 overweight individuals were given either a placebo or one gram of extract each day for 60 days. Compared to the placebo group, individuals receiving the extract showed no significant change in body weight, body mass index, hip circumference, body fat or energy intake; however, both appetite and waist circumference were reduced. In another study led by Kamalakkannan et.al., on diet induced obese rat model, they found that supplementing caralluma fimbrata at a dose of 25,50 and 100mg/Kg body weight was effective in reducing feed intake and weight gain in a dose dependent manner.Histopathological study of the thoracic aorta revealed that the plant extract was effective in reducing atheroma plaque formation. This study revealed that caralluma fimbrata has anti-obesogenic and anti-atherogenic property.
Various diet pills claiming to contain Caralluma fimbriata extracts are aggressively marketed for weight loss. However there is no independent evidence to suggest that the amount of extract found in these products is sufficient to obtain the same results as the clinical trial. The FTC
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
cautions against the use of such "miracle diet" products.
The key phytochemical constituents of the herb are pregnane
Pregnane
Pregnane is, indirectly, a parent of progesterone. It is a parent hydrocarbon for two series of steroids stemming from 5α-pregnane and 5β-pregnane ....
glycosides, flavone glycosides, megastigmane glycosides, and saponin
Saponin
Saponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species...
s.