Combined extractives of red yeast rice, bitter gourd, chlorella, soy protein, and licorice improve total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride in subjects with metabolic syndrome

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 85 - 92
• Main Authors: Lee, I-Te, Lee, Wen-Jane, Tsai, Ching-Min, Su, Ih-Jen, Yen, Hsien-Tung, Sheu, Wayne H-H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Anticholesteremic Agents; Anticholesteremic Agents - pharmacology; Anticholesteremic Agents - therapeutic use; Ascomycota; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Products; Bitter taste; blood; Blood pressure; Chlorella; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, LDL; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Double-Blind Method; Double-blinded study; Drug Synergism; drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Fasting; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Glycine max; Glycyrrhiza; Glycyrrhiza glabra; Human; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - blood; Hypertension - drug therapy; licorice; Lipid metabolism; Lipoproteins; low density lipoprotein; Male; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - drug therapy; Middle Aged; Momordica; Momordica charantia; Oryza sativa; pharmacology; Phytotherapy; Placebo; placebos; Plant extractives; Plant Extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; red rice; soy protein; Soybean Proteins; Soybeans; therapeutic use; triacylglycerols; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Human; AST; Double-blinded study; Alk-P; ALT; Metabolic syndrome; Cholesterol; HDL; PPAR; LDL; Plant extractives; Placebo; CHD; peroxisome proliferators–activated receptors; high-density lipoprotein; alanine aminotransferase; aspartate aminotransferase; low-density lipoprotein; alkaline phosphatase; coronary heart disease; Endocrinopathy; Chlorella; Yeast; Algae; Lipids; Metabolic diseases; Cardiovascular disease; Chlorophyceae; Triglyceride; Lipoprotein LDL; Soy protein; Vertebrata; Plant; Mammalia; Chlorophyta; Double blind study; Rice
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2011.12.011

In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of a plant-extractive compound on lipid profiles in subjects with metabolic syndrome. We hypothesized that extractives from red yeast rice, bitter gourd, chlorella, soy protein, and licorice have synergistic benefits on cholesterol and metabolic syndrome. In this double-blinded study, adult subjects with metabolic syndrome were randomized to receive a plant-extractive compound or a placebo treatment for 12 weeks. Both total cholesterol (5.4 ± 0.8 to 4.4 ± 0.6 mmol/L, P < .001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.4 ± 0.7 to 2.7 ± 0.5 mmol/L, P < .001) were significantly reduced after treatment with the plant extractives, and the magnitudes of reduction were significantly greater than in the placebo group (−1.0 ± 0.6 vs 0.0 ± 0.6mmol/L, P < .001; −0.7 ± 0.6 vs 0.0 ± 0.6 mmol/L, P < .001). The reduction in the fasting triglycerides level was significantly greater in the plant-extractive group than in the placebo group (−0.5 ± 0.8 vs −0.2 ± 1.0 mmol/L, P = .039). There was also a significantly greater reduction in the proportion of subjects with hypertensive criteria in the plant-extractive group than in the placebo group (P = .040). In conclusion, the plant extractives from red yeast rice, bitter gourd, chlorella, soy protein, and licorice were effective in reducing total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The plant extractives also showed potential for reducing triglyceride and normalizing blood pressure.