GREEN CARDAMOM SUPPLEMENTATION IMPROVES SERUM GLUCOSE INDICES, LIPIDS, INFLAMMATORY FACTORS, PARAOXONASE-1, SIRTUIN-1, AND IRISIN IN OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE PATIENTS WITH NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE: A DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL

Background and Aim: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as hepatic component of metabolic syndrome and health benefits of green cardamom (GC) in the human need to be further studied. The aim was assessing the effects of GC on blood glucose indices, lipids, inflammatory factors, and liver enzymes, irisin, paraoxonase-1 (PON1), and sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) in obese NAFLD patients.Methods: The trial-conducting place was the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Central Hospital. Participants according to the eligibility criteria were randomly divided into two groups (GC [n=43], placebo [n=44], 2×500mg capsules, 3-times/day/meal for 3-months, follow-up monthly). General characteristics and dietary and physical activity status were assessed. At the beginning and end, anthropometrics (WT, HT, BMI, WC), blood pressure (SBP, DBP), fatty liver grade, and serum glucose indices (FBS, FBI, HOMA-IR, QUICKI), lipids (TG, LDL-c, HDL-c, TC), inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6), liver enzymes (ALT, AST), irisin, PON1, and Sirt1 were determined.Results: During the study, dietary vitamins E and B6 intakes in the GC group were significantly higher. GC compared with placebo significantly increased HDL-c, PON1, Sirt1, irisin, and QUICKI and decreased WC, FBI, TG, LDL-c, HOMA-IR, hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and ALT. In the adjusted model, significant changes were similar, although the decrease in LDL-c had a trend. In the end, the improvement of the fatty liver grade was significant in the GC group compared with placebo (P<0.05).Conclusion: The GC supplementation in obese NAFLD patients improved WC, FBI, HOMA-IR, TG, hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, ALT, QUICKI, HDL-c, irisin, PON1, and Sirt1. Further trials of GC’s potential are suggested.

Keywords:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease , Green cardamom , Obesity , Overweight , Iran