A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity

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#animals #anti-obesity-agents #body-weight #dietary-supplements #eating

A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity

Hasani-Ranjbar et al., 2009 | World J Gastroenterol | Systematic Review

Citation

Hasani-Ranjbar Shirin, Nayebi Neda, ... Abdollahi Mohammad. A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity. World J Gastroenterol. 2009-Jul-07;15(25):3073-85

Abstract

This review focuses on the efficacy and safety of effective herbal medicines in the management of obesity in humans and animals. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases were searched up to December 30, 2008. The search terms were "obesity" and ("herbal medicine" or "plant", "plant medicinal" or "medicine traditional") without narrowing or limiting search elements. All of the human and animal studies on the effects of herbs with the key outcome of change in anthropometric measures such as body weight and waist-hip circumference, body fat, amount of food intake, and appetite were included. In vitro studies, reviews, and letters to editors were excluded. Of the publications identified in the initial database, 915 results were identified and reviewed, and a total of 77 studies were included (19 human and 58 animal studies). Studies with Cissus quadrangularis (CQ), Sambucus nigra, Asparagus officinalis, Garcinia atroviridis, ephedra and caffeine, Slimax (extract of several plants including Zingiber officinale and Bofutsushosan) showed a significant decrease in body weight. In 41 animal studies, significant weight loss or inhibition of weight gain was found. No significant adverse effects or mortality were observed except in studies with supplements containing ephedra, caffeine and Bofutsushosan. In conclusion, compounds containing ephedra, CQ, ginseng, bitter melon, and zingiber were found to be effective in the management of obesity. Attention to these natural compounds would open a new approach for novel therapeutic and more effective agents.

Key Findings

Attention to these natural compounds would open a new approach for novel therapeutic and more effective agents.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 77
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Body Weight
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Eating
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Humans
  • Obesity
  • Plant Extracts
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Treatment Outcome

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: ginseng

Provenance

  • PMID: 19575486
  • DOI: (not available)
  • PMCID: PMC2705729
  • Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09