| |
Used for Appetite Suppressant and
Weight control supplement It contains saponins which are
cleansing agents, helping combat acne, oily skin and
scalp. This extract helps relieve dermatitis, eczema and
dandruff. It is an antioxidant, rejuvenating skin cells,
and also has anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic effects.
It also has fat burning properties.
Contraindications of Caralluma fimbriata:
No information was found to show definite
contraindications of Caralluma fimbriata. Given the
ability of solvent and water extracts of the whole plant
to lower blood glucose levels in normal or alloxan-induced
diabetic rats8,9 at an oral dose as low as 100 mg/kg,9
its use by individuals with hypoglycemia is
contraindicated. [This recommendation is tentative until
it has been adequately reviewed and confirmed by peer
reviewers et al.—TK]. The only basis for its
contraindication in these individuals would be based on
anecdotal use of the plant as a treatment for diabetes
when “eaten raw”.8 Based on the same activity, use of
the plant by diabetic individuals would be cautioned
against without medical supervision since the effective
hypoglycemic dosage in humans is unknown and in theory,
use of the plant could affect the required dosage of
their medications.
Pregnancy and Lactation of Caralluma fimbriata:
No references were found concerning use of the plant in
relation to pregnancy of lactation. Given that the
safety of Caralluma fimbriata preparations in pregnant
or lactating women is unknown, it would be prudent to
dissuade its use by these individuals until such safety
is established. ABC advises pregnant or lactating women
to consult a healthcare practitioner before using any
herbal product or conventional medication.
Adverse Effects of Caralluma fimbriata:
An extensive search of “Caralluma fimbriata” in the
scientific and medical literature, including searches in
EMBASE, PubMed, TOXNET, and BIOSIS, failed to reveal any
references to toxicity associated with the use of
Caralluma fimbriata, nor were any references to
potential adverse effects found with respect to plants
considered taxonomically synonymous with Caralluma
fimbriata. No reports of serious adverse effects were
found in two placebo-controlled clinical trials on a
proprietary extract of Caralluma fimbriata, either in
overweight or obese
subjects. The only adverse effects reported were
gastrointestinal and occurred about the same frequency
in both placebo and active treatment groups in both
trials.6,11 In one trial, the effects were found to have
subsided within 7 days after the start of
administration, both in the placebo and active treatment
groups.6 The acute oral LD50 of the proprietary
Caralluma fimbriata extract (described above
was initially obtained in adult rats of either sex
following the initial dose and observation for 14 days.
No signs of toxicity were found following an acute
(single) dosage of 2 g/kg, including changes in body
weights, food and water intake, and biochemical and
hematological parameters. Behavioral responses were also
normal compared to the controls except that tail-flick
latencies were significantly higher in the test group (p
= 0.006) and whereas mild analgesia was observed in 40%
of the test group and lasted 1-2.5 hours, no analgesia
was observed in the control group. The lack of toxicity
of the extract allowed a further 3-month safety study in
adult rats of either sex following an acute oral dosage
of 5 g/kg. The laboratory concluded that the oral LD50
of the extract was greater than 5 g/kg and that it
produced no signs of toxicity.12 No in vitro
mutagenicity was found from the extract in the Ames test
using various strains of Salmonella typhimurium.13
|
|
