A recent study has established an association between IGOB131, a seed extract from Irvingia gabonensis, body weight and other associated metabolic parameters in overweight human volunteers. IGOB131, positively impacts adipogenesis through various metabolic pathways, which may include PPAR gamma, leptin, adiponectin, and glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase.

Excess of adipose or fat tissue increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obstructive lung disease, arthritis and a variety of cancers. Insulin resistance, caused either by environmental factors like increase in body mass, diet or excess visceral fat, or genetic factors, is the primary cause of metabolic syndrome that leads to cardiovascular disease. Diet restriction can help achieve weight loss, which will ultimately improve the insulin action on target tissues like skeletal muscle, liver and fat cells.

It has been found that biologically active molecules like leptin, resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 contribute to obesity-linked metabolic abnormalities. As plasma leptin levels are closely correlated with that of adipose tissue, the decreases in plasma leptin level associated with IGOB131 treatment may be due to a decrease of adipose tissue.

Polyphenols like epigallocatechin gallate with anti-obesity properties help to improve metabolic disorders by modulating adipokines and growth factors, including improving leptin function. Although the active principles of IGOB131 have not yet been fully identified, it is likely to contain some of the above mentioned compounds.

Earlier it was believed that the positive changes in the metabolic parameters were due to the high fiber content of Irvingia gabonensis fruit, commonly used in Nigerian and Cameroonian cuisine. However, results of subsequent analysis suggest that the beneficial effects of Irvingia gabonensis could not be accounted by fiber content alone.

In a published study, 120 healthy and overweight volunteers were selected, who were randomly divided in two groups. While one group was given 150 mg of IGOB131, other received a matching placebo half an hour before lunch and dinner. At regular intervals, the groups were evaluated for any changes in metabolic parameters like fasting lipids, blood glucose, leptin and adiponectin.

Though not much difference was noted in the initial weeks, by the tenth week, significant differences were observed between the placebo and experimental intervention groups, with respect to body weight, body fat, waist circumference as well as plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood glucose, C-reactive protein, adiponectin and leptin levels. Body fat decreased over time in both groups but the experimental group lost significantly more body fat compared to the placebo group

This study indicates that IGOB131 is associated with an increase in plasma adiponectin level and decrease in leptin and CRP levels along with a favorable impact upon adipogenesis.

Reference: Judith L Ngondi, Blanche C Etoundi, Christine B Nyangono, Carl MF Mbofung and Julius E Oben. IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the West African plant Irvingia gabonensis, significantly reduces body weight and improves metabolic parameters in overweight humans in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled investigation. Lipids in Health and Disease 2009, 8:7 doi:10.1186/1476-511X-8-7.

Source-Medindia