Herbotrim - A safe and effective remedy for Obesity

Abnormal accumulation of fat in the stores of adipose tissue throughout the body is called Obesity. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in affluent society. Obesity requires constant emphasis, not only because of the excess mortality it carries, but also because of numerous complications such as diabetes mellitus. It reduces the efficiency of those affected and it is frequently associated with emotional and other psychological disturbances.

Athero-sclerosis is another major complication associated with obesity. Elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are known to cause athero-sclerosis. The risk of IHD is also more in obese patients. Hence the therapy for atherosclerosis & other complications should aim at reducing the obesity & the lipid contents of the blood. Studies have shown that a reduction in plasma cholesterol does infect reduce the risk of myocardial infection. Some ancient herbs like Guggulu, Shilajith, when combined with other herbs, and when used along a proper Ayurvedic diet, cause a significant reduction in body weight and also reduction in lipid content of the blood. The treatment of obesity has been described in ancient ayurvedic classics and Muniyal Ayurvedic research centre, with the extensive study based on ancient classics has formulated 'Herbotrim' for the treatment of obesity.

Body weight is tightly regulated and a small change in the energy balance is all that is required to cause weight gain. Daily excess of 100 K.cal. (a small chocolate bar or one chapathi) would result in 4 kg weight gain in one year. Even modest weight loss of 10% is clinically beneficial.

Mechanical Disability: Plat Feet and Ostcoarthrosis of the knee, hips & lumbar spine are more in obese patients.

Metabolic Disorders: Obesity may be associated with an elevated level of cholesterol & triglycerides in the blood. Obese are more prone to develop Gall-Stones. Association of obesity and diabetes mellitus is well established. Govt afflicts the obese more commonly than others.

Cardiovascular Disorders: Obese persons suffer from hypertension more commonly than those of normal weight, along with Arthcrosclcrosis, Angina Pectoris and Cardiac Failure.

Processed in the decoction of fenugreek (Methi), Garcinice, and triphala, agnimantha, trumeric.

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AMALAKI

Botanical Name: Emblica officinalis Linn.
(Synn: Phyllanthus emblica linn)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Habitat: Found in Deccan, the sea-coast districts and Kashmir, common in mixed deciduous forests of India ascending to 4,500 ft. on the hills.

Botanical Description: A deciduous, small or middle sized tree with crooked trunk and spreading branches.

Pharmacological and Clinical Studies

Immuno-modulatory Actions: Oral administration of extract of P. embilica has been found to enhance natural killer cell activity and antibody dependable cellular clytoxicity (ADCC), syngeneric BALB/C mice, bearing Dalton's lymphoma ascities (DLA) tumor (Suresh K. et al., Journal of Etnopharmocology V.44(1), 1994)

Rasayana Effect: Amalaki rasayana raised the total protein level and increased the body weight in rabbits which was due to positive nitrogen balance. The drug was found to have anabolic effect (Tewari et al., 1968)
Protective action against metal induced cyto-toxicity was observed (Ghosh et al.)

Anti-microbial activity: The ether extract of acidified alcohol extract showed the highest activity, exhibiting the growth M. Pyogenes var. aureus, S. typhosa and S. paratyphic at a concentration of 0.21 mg/ml and that of M. pyogenes var. albs, S. schottmmellri and S. dysenteriae at a concentration of 0.42 mg/ml.

Anti-oxidant effect: Aqueous extract was found to be a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxide formation and scavenger of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals in-vitro.

Anti-cancerous activity: Fruits possess anti-cancerous properties.

Anti-diabetic: Triphala showed significant hypoglycaemic activity in fasting rabbits only in the dose of 90 mg/kg orally.

Anti-hyperecholesteraemic effect: Increases the lipid mobilization and catabolism and retarded the deposition of lipids on the extra-hepatic tissues.

Anti-ulcer activity: Mainly acts by H+K+ ATP use inhibitory activity.

Effect on cardiovascular system: It is a cardio-tonic, provides protection in myocardial necrosis (IJEB, 15:485, 1977).

Effect on Central Nervous System: Phyllembin showed mild depressant action on CNS. It protected effectively against tremors and clonic and tonic convulsions induced by nicotine. It also antagonized tremorine induced tremors and other cholinergic symptoms.

Anxiolytic property: Useful in anxiety neurosis, depressive psychosis, insomnia and hypertension.

Anti-inflammatory action: Effective in rat-paw inflammation and was an effective inhibitory of human PMN migration in-vitro.

Action on smooth muscles: It is reported that phyllembin antagonized the spasmogenic effect of acetylcholine, bradykinin and scrotonin on the guinea pig ileum. (Khurana, et al., 1970). It is very useful in the treatment of human scurvy.

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GUGGULU

Botanical Name: Commiphora mukul

Family: Burseraceae

Botanical Description: This is a woody shrub to small tree, branches spiny, ascending.

Chemistry: The oleo-gum resin contains 0.37% essential oil consisting chiefly of myrecene, dimyrecene and some polymyrecene. There are a number of useful steroids like Z-guggulusterone, E- guggulusterone, guggulusterol I, II and III. Guggulu is an oleo-resin obtained from the plant commiphora mukul and is very much used in Indian System of medicine as astringent, antiseptic, expectorant, aphrodisiac, demulcent, carminative and anti-spasmodic emmenagogue and used in rheumatism.

Pharmacological Studies: It has been proved to be a potent hypolipidaemic, hypocholesteralimic anti-antherosclertic agent both in clinical and experimental studies (Satyavati, 1966, Shastry and Tripathi, 1968, Nityananda and Kapoor 1971, Arora et al, 1973, Gupta et al., 1974). A steroidal component isolated from the petroleum extract of the plant possessed significant anti-inflammatory activity on rat paw oedema produced by carageenin. It had a significant effect on the primary as well as secondary inflammation induced by Freud's adjuvant.

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Habitat: Distributed throughout India in areas upto 1,500 m elevation in hilly regions.

Botanical Description: A large scandent shrub with long, slender, flexible branches and bark studded with lenticles.
Leaves simple, alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, short and obtusely acuminate, entire coriaceous, glabrous on both sides.

Botanical Description: A perennial herb, 60-90cm in height, with a short stem and tufts of erect leaves, rhizome cylindric, ovoid, orange coloured and branched. Leaves simple, very large, petiole as long as the blade, oblong-lanceolate.

Side Effects: No major side effects have been observed even with prolonged treatment.

Instructions: Consumption of 4-6 glasses of water in empty stomach early morning is beneficial. Also a glass of warm water with a, spoonful of honey consumed in empty stomach helps to reduce excess fat.