This invention relates to weight loss management and compositions therefor.
A relatively high percentage of U.S. population is overweight, that is, exhibiting a basic metabolic index or body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, and one quarter of the U.S. population is obese, exhibiting a BMI greater than 30. Annually, a large number of deaths can be attributed to obesity. Therefore, a healthy weight maintenance requires a balance between energy intake and energy output for an individual.
Adipose derived hormones such as adiponectin and leptin are secreted by adipose tissue and control various physiological systems in a mammalian body. Low leptin levels, for example, stimulate food intake, reduce energy expenditure, and modulate neuroendocrine and immune functions to conserve energy stores. While normally leptin is a signal that reduces appetite, it is known that obese persons have an unusually high circulating concentration of leptin and may be resistant to the usual effects of leptin in a manner similar to patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes that are resistant to the effects of insulin. High sustained concentrations of leptin may result in undesirable leptin desensitization or leptin resistance.
Adiponectin is produced by adipocytes in adipose tissue and is secreted into the bloodstream. Levels of adiponectin in the bloodstream are inversely correlated with body fat percentage in adults. It is believed that adiponectin plays a role in the suppression of metabolic events that may result in Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The present invention is directed to compositions that reduce the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio in overweight patients and promote weight loss.
The compositions comprise a solid, ethanolic extract derived from Gymnema sylvestre leaves which contains no more than about 55 weight percent of a gymnemic acid and one or more of (1) a solid, ethanolic extract from Boswellia serrata gum containing at lest 70 weight percent boswellic acids, (2) a solid, ethanolic extract from the stems of Tinospora cordifolia, and (3) a solid, ethanolic extract from Commiphora mukul gum.
The daily dosage for a patient desiring weight management preferably is about 500 milligrams to about 1,000 milligrams of the composition or the components thereof administered substantially concurrently.
The present compositions include an ethanolic extract from Gymnema sylvestre leaves in powder form. This ethanolic extract is constituted by about 25 to about 55 weight percent of gymnemic acids, but may also contain gymnemasaponins. There are 18 known gymnemic acids, i.e., gymnemic acids I-XVIII, and the term “gymnemic acid” as used herein includes one or more of the aforementioned gymnemic acids which may or may not be acylated. Particularly desirable for the present compositions are gymnemic acids III, IV, V and VII.
A preferred solid, ethanolic extract from Gymnema sylvestre is prepared as set forth below.
The solid, ethanolic extract from Boswellia serrata gum is rich in boswellic acids, particularly the alpha, beta, and gamma boswellic acids. These acids comprise a pentacyclic triterpene, a carboxyl group, and at least one other functional group which can be a hydroxyl group, an acetyl group or a keto group.
A preferred solid, ethanolic extract from Boswellia serrata gum is prepared as set forth below.
The solid, ethanolic extract from the stems of Tinospora cordifolia contains diterpenes such as tinosporaside, cordiofolide, cordifol, heptacosanol, clerodane furano diterpene, diterpenoid furanolactone tinosporidine, columbin and beta-sitosterol.
A preferred solid, ethanolic extract can be prepared as shown below.
The solid, ethanolic extract from Commiphora mukul gum contains guggalsterone, also known as guggal lipid.
A preferred extract can be prepared as shown below.
The present invention is illustrated by the following examples.
Obese volunteers (n=10; 6 male, 4 female), marginally diabetic and about 20 percent overweight patients, were treated with a solid, ethanolic extract of G. sylvestre or a solid, ethanolic extract of G. sylvestre enhanced by the addition of an amount of a solid, steranolic extract of B. serrata in an amount sufficient to provide a boswellic acid content of about 3.5 percent by weight of the total composition.
The patients exhibited a fasting blood sugar level (FBS) of 130-140 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). The average age of the patient group was 35-45 years.
The composition was administered orally in a capsule form. Each capsule contained 250 milligrams of the composition. One or more capsules were administered to obtain the desired dosage.
Physical parameters and blood chemistry were monitored. Serum leptin and adiponectin were determined using an ELISA kit (R&D System, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.).
The foregoing results indicate the achievement of reduced fasting blood sugar level as well as an improved lipid profile and a decrease in the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio for each patient.
Capsules containing solid, ethanolic extract of G. sylvestre were prepared as well as capsules containing solid, ethanolic extracts of Tinospora cordifolia and Commiphora mukul. Predetermined dosages of the G. sylvestre extract alone or together with the extract of T. codifolia or C. mukul were administered to volunteer male patients which were marginally diabetic, exhibiting a fasting blood sugar level of 125-135 mg/dl, and about 20 percent overweight. The average age of the patient group was 30-45 years.
The patient's physical parameters, levels of changes in fasting blood sugar, blood cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, as well as triglyceride were determined. Leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured. The results are reported below.
The data shown in Tables V and VI show a beneficial decrease in the serum levels of fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol and low density lipoproteins but a beneficial increase in high density lipoprotein level.
G. sylvestre
G. sylvestre
T. cordifolia
G. sylvestra
C. mukul
Data in Table VII show a consistent decrease in the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio for all patients.
The foregoing discussion and the Examples are intended to be illustrative but are not to be taken as limiting. Still other variants within the spirit and scope of the present invention are possible and will readily present themselves to those skilled in the art.
This application is a U.S. National Stage of PCT/US2011/000767, filed May 3, 2011, and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/343,879, filed May 5, 2010, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2011/000767 | 5/3/2011 | WO | 00 | 1/7/2013 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2011/139354 | 11/10/2011 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5886029 | Dhaliwal | Mar 1999 | A |
8541383 | Gokaraju et al. | Sep 2013 | B2 |
20030004215 | Van Laere et al. | Jan 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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11137211 | May 1999 | JP |
Entry |
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Kar (Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2003), vol. 83, pp. 105-108). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20130136814 A1 | May 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61343879 | May 2010 | US |