Skip to main content
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Pillser
Search
Sign UpLog In

Changes in the Gut Microbiota after the Use of Herbal Medicines in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review.

  • 2023-05-05
  • Nutrients 15(9)
    • Miguel Huang
    • Cláudia Dos Santos Cople-Rodrigues
    • Dan L Waitzberg
    • Ilanna Marques Gomes da Rocha
    • Cintia Chaves Curioni

Study Design

Type
Systematic Review
Population
obese individuals
Methods
Systematic review guided by the question: 'Does the use of herbal medicine change the GM composition in obese individuals?' Randomized clinical trials were retrieved from databases. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias using Cochrane RoB 2.
  • Rigorous Journal

Background

Herbal medicine is a low-cost treatment and has been increasingly applied in obesity treatment. Gut microbiota (GM) is strongly associated with obesity pathogenesis.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review guided by the question: "Does the use of herbal medicine change the GM composition in obese individuals?" Randomized clinical trials with obese individuals assessing the effects of herbal medicine intervention in GM were retrieved from the Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, including the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Two reviewers independently extracted data using standardized piloted data extraction forms and assessed the study-level risk of bias using an Excel template of the Cochrane "Risk of bias" tool 2-RoB 2.

Results

We identified 1094 articles in the databases. After removing duplicates and reading the title and abstract, 14 publications were fully evaluated, of which seven publications from six studies were considered eligible. The herbs analyzed were Moringa oleifera, Punica granatum, Scutellaria baicalensis, Schisandra chinensis, W-LHIT and WCBE. The analysis showed that Schisandra chinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis had significant effects on weight loss herbal intervention therapy composed by five Chinese herbal medicines Ganoderma lucidum, Coptis chinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Nelumbo nucifera gaertn, and Fructus aurantii (W-LHIT) and white common bean extract (WCBE) on GM, but no significant changes in anthropometry and laboratory biomarkers.

Conclusions

Herbal medicine modulates GM and is associated with increased genera in obese individuals.

Research Insights

  • Schisandra→Reduced Body Weight

    The analysis showed that Schisandra chinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis had significant effects on weight loss

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
  • Skullcap→Reduced Body Weight

    The analysis showed that Schisandra chinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis had significant effects on weight loss

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
Back to top