Novel nutraceutic therapies for the treatment of metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Nutraceutic therapies such as berberine, bitter melon, Gymnema sylvestre, Irvingia gabonensis, resveratrol and ursolic acid have been shown to help control metabolic syndrome (MetS). The effect of berberine on glucose and lipid metabolism, hypertension, obesity and MetS has been evaluated in animal models and humans. Most clinical trials involving bitter melon have been conducted to evaluate its effect on glucose metabolism; nevertheless, some studies have reported favorable effects on lipids and blood pressure although there is little information about its effect on body weight. Gymnema sylvestre helps to decrease body weight and blood sugar levels; however, there is limited information on dyslipidemia and hypertension. Clinical trials of Irvingia gabonensis have shown important effects decreasing glucose and cholesterol concentrations as well decreasing body weight. Resveratrol acts through different mechanisms to decrease blood pressure, lipids, glucose and weight, showing its effects on the population with MetS. Finally, there is evidence of positive effects with ursolic acid in in vitro and in vivo studies on glucose and lipid metabolism and on body weight and visceral fat. Therefore, a review of the beneficial effects and limitations of the above-mentioned nutraceutic therapies is presented.

Keywords: Nutraceutics, Metabolic syndrome, Berberine, Bitter melon, Gymnema silvestre, Irvingia gabonensis, Resveratrol, Ursolic acid

Core tip: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of endocrine problems including obesity, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Unfortunately, there is no unique treatment to control it. Nutraceutic therapies such as berberine, bitter melon, Gymnema sylvestre, Irvingia gabonensis, resveratrol and ursolic acid have demonstrated some improvement in anthropometric parameters and cardiometabolic risk factors and could be considered as treatment for patients with MetS. This review attempts to demonstrate the beneficial effects and limitations of some of these novel nutraceutic therapies.