Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ayurveda recommends an integrative approach of shodhana & shamana therapy for Obesity management. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of Navak Guggul and Lekhan Basti, individually and in combination, with respect to anthropometric, biochemical levels and transcriptional profiling of selected candidate genes in obese participants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single-centre, open-labelled, randomized, comparative, pilot study was conducted following Institutional Ethics Committee approval. 64 obese participants of either gender, aged between 25 and 60 years with BMI 28-32.9 kg/m(2) and WHR (Men>0.90 and Women>0.85) were randomly allocated to four groups, each with 16 participants, to receive either Navak Guggul or Lekhan Basti, individually or in combination or no treatment in addition to diet and lifestyle modification. Anthropometric measurements, ayurvedic symptoms severity score, impact of weight on quality of life (IWQOL), biochemical tests and genetic expressions of select genes (UCP2, AD1POR1, FTO, GHRL, Leptin and PPARγ) were assessed at baseline (V1), immediately after therapy (V4) and 2 months post-therapy (V6). RESULTS: 50 participants completed the study. Participants from all groups showed significant reduction in BMI (except Group IV) with significant improvement in the ayurvedic symptoms score. Improvement in the IWQOL score was seen at V4 in all groups with maximal reduction in serum lipids in Groups I and III. Transcriptional profiling revealed increased expression of UCP2, ADIPOR1 and PPARγ genes at V4 and decreased expression of FTO, Ghrelin and Leptin genes compared to V1. CONCLUSION: Lekhan Basti and combination therapy were beneficial in reducing anthropometric and lipid parameters. Several genes were differentially expressed immediately post-treatment suggesting their role as candidate genes in obesity management.