Consumption ofPuerariaFlower Extract Reduces Body Mass Indexviaa Decrease in the Visceral Fat Area in Obese Humans

Abstract

In Japan, kudzu is a familiar plant, well-known as an ingredient in the Japanese-style confections kudzu-kiri and kudzu-mochi. In this study, we focused on the flower of kudzu (Pueraria thomsonii) and conducted a clinical trial to investigate the effects of Pueraria thomsonii flower extract (PFE) on obesity using obese Japanese males and females (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)). Eighty-one obese subjects were randomly divided into three groups and consumed test food containing 300 mg of PFE, 200 mg of PFE, and a placebo over 12 weeks. The results indicate that PFE intake reduces BMI and decreases, the visceral fat area, but not the subcutaneous fat area. In addition, the decrease in visceral fat area showed no sexual dimorphism. Consequently, we propose that PFE intake expresses its BMI reduction effects via a decrease in visceral fat area.

Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid Treatment on Epicardial and Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue Volumes in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

“…In several studies, 12-24-week-periods have been used to assess decreases in AVAT 18,19) . Furthermore, an increase in adiponectine and a decrease in highsensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) have been induced by a three-month regimen of oral EPA 20) .…”

Oral Toxicological Studies of Pueraria Flower Extract: Acute Toxicity Study in Mice and Subchronic Toxicity Study in Rats

“…Finally, the no observed adverse effect level of PFE in SD rats was concluded to be the dose equivalent to 5.0%, as a dietary mixture under the present study conditions. Moreover, regarding PFE intake per body weight, as described above, the human equivalent dose of PFE was estimated using the body weight and body surface area to be 180 and 29.2 g/d, respectively, in men (60 kg), and 175 and 28.4 g/d, respectively, in women (50 kg) (Reagan‐Shaw and others ), which are much higher than the PFE efficacy dose for anti‐obesity of 300 mg/d, reported in our previous work (Kamiya and others ).…”

“…Moreover, we conducted 2 clinical trials in mildly obese humans to evaluate the anti‐obesity effect of PFE, in which an oral intake of 300 mg of PFE per day for 12 wk reduced both body weight (BW) and fat area. In addition, there were no changes of clinical significance in hematological, biochemical blood, and urinary analyses, and no serious adverse effects were observed during either test period (Kamiya ; Kamiya ).…”

“…High‐performance liquid chromatograph analysis of PFE indicates that it contains unique isoflavones, which differ from the genistein, daizein, and puerarin contained in soy beans and roots of the Pueraria genus. PFE is particularly rich in tectorigenin 7‐ O ‐xylosylglucoside (glucoside), tectoridin (glucoside), and tectorigenin (aglycon), jointly termed “tectorigenins,” which have the skeletal structure of tectorigenin (Kamiya , , ; Kubo ) and comprise roughly 80% to 90% of the total contained isoflavones. Both of the above glucosides are metabolized to tectorigenin in digestive tracts (Bae ; Shin ; Hirayama ).…”

Evaluation of the Estrogenic Activity of Pueraria (Kudzu) Flower Extract and Its Major Isoflavones Using ER-Binding and Uterotrophic Bioassays

“…In China, tea made from dried Kudzu flowers is widely consumed [1], and PFE is consumed as a nutritional supplement for the treatment of hangovers and obesity in Japan. We previously reported that PFE exerts anti-obesity effects in humans and mice fed high-fat diets [2][3][4]. In addition, we also reported that the isoflavone-rich fraction of dietary PFE exhibits anti-obesity effect in mice fed high-fat diets [5].…”