Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil could improve abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Maede Ruyvaran, Ali Zamani, Alireza Mohamadian, Mohammad M Zarshenas, Mohammad Hassan Eftekhari, Saeedeh Pourahmad, Ebrahim Fallahzadeh Abarghooei, Abolfazl Akbari, Majid Nimrouzi

Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2022;282():114590

PMID: 34487844

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) has been widely recommended to treat metabolic disorders in traditional herbal medicine in Persia, China, Korea, Japan, and other East-Asian countries. The anti-hypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of this plant have been well documented, but its protective effects against Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) have not been fully illustrated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of safflower oil on MetS risk factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients with MetS were administered either divided 8 g safflower oil or placebo daily for 12 weeks. All patients were advised to follow their previous diets and physical activities.

RESULTS

Safflower oil resulted in a significant reduction in waist circumference (-2.42 ± 3.24 vs. 0.97 ± 2.53, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (-8.80 ± 9.77 vs. -2.26 ± 8.56, p = 0.021), diastolic blood pressure (-3.53 ± 7.52 vs. -0.70 ± 6.21, p = 0.041), fasting blood sugar (-5.03 ± 10.62 vs. 2.94 ± 7.57, p = 0.003), and insulin resistance (-0.59 ± 1.43 vs. 0.50 ± 1, p = 0.012), but an increase in adiponectin level (0.38 ± 0.99 vs. -0.09 ± 0.81, p = 0.042) in the treatment group in comparison to the placebo group. The results revealed a direct relationship between leptin level and Body Mass Index (BMI) in both groups (p<0.001). In addition, increase in BMI resulted in a non-significant decrease in adiponectin level in both groups. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding lipid profiles, leptin serum level, serum creatinine concentration, and other outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Safflower oil without lifestyle modification improved abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and insulin resistance in patients with MetS.

Address: Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Students' Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Medicinal Plants Processing Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Phytopharmaceuticals (Traditional Pharmacy), School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Biostatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].; Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114590

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MeSH Terms: Adiponectin, Adult, Anticholesteremic Agents, Antioxidants, Blood Glucose, Blood Pressure Determination, Body Mass Index, Carthamus tinctorius, Double-Blind Method, Drug Monitoring, Female, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Male, Medicine, Iranian Traditional, Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity, Abdominal, Phytotherapy, Safflower Oil, Treatment Outcome