Karpurvalli (Coleus aromaticus) in Hindi and commonly called country borage or Indian borage is a perennial herb grown throughout the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally, the leaves of the plant are used as a cure for cold, cough, and fever as well as to relieve pain from skin irritations (Wadikar and Premavalli, 2014).
The battle to overcome rising trends in obesity throughout the world demand novel approaches. This herb appears to have an appetite-enhancing potential which has not been fully explored and may help in reducing obesity. Animal studies led to research on the appetite-enhancing potential of Coleus aromaticus in humans by evaluating it in a ready-to-drink beverage.
Ready-to-drink beverages based on the herb karpurvalli (Coleus aromaticus) containing three different concentrations (12% [sensorily optimized level], 18%, and 24%) of the herb juice and a placebo beverage were evaluated in healthy volunteers. The fasting and postprandial levels of plasma leptin were measured, and the appetite rating on a structured visual analog scale was obtained.
The study revealed a significant reduction in leptin levels with 12% juice, whereas a significant increase was seen after consumption of the beverage containing 24%. A similar pattern was obtained with the structured ratings
The appetite-enhancing effect of the beverage was best when it contained the sensorily optimized level of karpurvalli juice and confirmed the results obtained in animal studies. To the researchers knowledge, this is the first study validating the appetite-enhancing potential of the herb.
References
, D.D., , K.S. (2014) Beverage from Coleus aromaticus reduces leptin levels and improves appetite rating in human volunteers. Nutrition, 30 (6) pp. 702-705
Leave a Reply