Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent traditionally used in India as an appetite suppressant during famine, as well as tribal people when they were hunting for food in the forests.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, looks at the extent to which Slimaluma – a proprietary and patented caralluma fimbriata extract by Gencor Pacific – could control feelings of satiety and calorie intake in adults.
According to Gencor Pacific, this is the fifth human clinical trial that the company has conducted on the proprietary and patented extract that has been commercialised about 17 years ago.
Examples of finished products using the extract include GNC’s caplets and capsules such as Probiotic Solutions, Stress Support, and Slimvance Body Dynamix sold in APAC. It has also been made into tea bags for weight loss in Japan.
Existing findings show that supplementation of the extract also has a positive effect on mental health by reducing anxiety and stress in healthy adults. Amongst men, there was also a significant reduction in cortisol level.
Amongst children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome, where there is an obsessive food-seeking behaviour due to a genetic disorder, intake of the extract has shown to reduce the strong desire to eat.
“The first clinical study in India showed that supplementation of the extract had reduced hunger and waist circumference, the second study in Melbourne showed similar results.
“Then, we assessed the mechanisms behind the extract and in the meantime, received feedback from the study participants that they felt calm after taking the supplementation, and we looked into the link between stress and binge eating,” founder/MD of Gencor R. V. Venkatesh told NutraIngredients-Asia.
He said that the extract could act as a serotonin receptor to induce calmness and control hunger.
The current RCT further showed the extent to which supplementation of the extract could control feelings of satiety by measuring the amount of calorie intake and reduction in weight.
Eighty-three adults from Australia aged 20 to 50 completed the trial.
They were randomised to either take in a capsule containing 500mg of caralluma fimbriata extract or 500mg of maltodextrin before breakfast and dinner.
A key finding was that plasma leptin concentration was significantly higher in the placebo group as compared to the intervention group by the end of the study.
Other parameters
Another finding was that calorie consumption was significantly reduced in the intervention group as compared to the placebo.
In the intervention group, calorie consumption was reduced by 245 calories per day, while that of the placebo group was reduced by 15.8 calories – a statistically significant difference where the p-value is less than 0.01.
The reduction in calorie intake also led to 0.37 kg weight loss in the intervention group. In contrast, the placebo group had a weight gain of 1.33 kg.
In the same vein, a 2.7cm reduction in waist circumference was seen in the intervention group, while that of the placebo group had increased by 0.3 cm.
At the moment, the company is planning to conduct a large-scale clinical study involving children with Prader-Willi syndrome in the US.
Markets
Venkatesh said that the extract has been registered in several APAC countries, including ANZ, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, India, Thailand and Japan.
Of which, the Australian market is the biggest when it comes to the commercial use of the extract.
Elsewhere, it is also sold in Europe and the US, where the first finished product was commercially launched.
The same extract is also available under another brand name known as Calmaluma for stress and anxiety management, while Slimaluma is for satiety and weight management.
“We are positioning this as a one-step solution for reducing stress and controlling the appetite,” Venkatesh said.
He added that the extract, being 98 per cent water soluble, could be made into tablet, capsules, and powder.
Source: Scientific Reports
The effect of an orally-dosed Caralluma Fimbriataextract on appetite control and body composition in overweight adults
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86108-2
Authors: Amanda Rao, et al