Document Type : Research articles

Authors

• Farzad Nikaein ^{1, 2}
• Siavash Babajafari ¹
• Seyed Mohammad Mazloomi ³
• Mohammadjavad Zibaeenezhad ⁴
• Arman Zargaran ^{5, 6}

¹ Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran

² Research Office for the History of Persian Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran

³ Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran

⁴ Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran

⁵ Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran

⁶ Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome, which includes multiple metabolic disorders in an individual, has a direct relationship with incidence of various heart diseases. Satureja hortensis L. has been considered to treat this syndrome because its active compounds have valuable therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, vasodilator, and antihyperlipidemic properties as well as being antioxidants and free radical scavengers.
Objectives: This double-blind randomized clinical trial assessed the effects of dried leave of S. hortensis on the serum sugar levels, lipid profiles, high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP), and blood pressures of 60 metabolic syndrome patients referred to the healthy heart institute in Shiraz, Iran during 2013.
Materials andMethods: First, components from the essential oil of the plant powder were identified using GC-MS instrumentation.Then, capsules of the plant were used in a double-blind randomized and controlled clinical trial involving 47 metabolic syndrome patients who were treated with either dried leaves from S. hortensis or a placebo capsule once daily for 10 weeks. Results: This study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (No. IRCT2014012616372N1). At the end of the study, group changes (mean ± SD) in the group that received S. hortensis showed significant reductions in total cholesterol (239.4 ± 34.6 to 222.3 ± 38.0; P < 0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (138.6 ± 25.2 to 117.6 ± 20.8; P < 0.001), triglycerides (TG) (220.0 ± 67.5 to 187.5 ± 65.9; P < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (83.1 ± 11.3 to 75.3 ± 9.5; P < 0.001), and hs-CRP (3.03 ± 1.84 to 1.51 ± 1.76; P < 0.05) as well as an elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (43.8 ± 7.4 to 47.3 ± 9.6; P < 0.05). In the placebo group, a significant increase was only observed for hs-CRP (2.31±1.18 to 3.32±1.52; P < 0.05). Different outcomes between the groups (means (95% CIs)) revealed statistically significant diminutions in LDL-C when the dosage was 27.1 mg/dL ((-16.3, -37.9); P < 0.001), in
TG with a dosage of 39.1 mg/dL ((-19.5, -64.4); P < 0.05), in DBP with a dosage of 7.6 mm/Hg ((-4.3, -11.2); P = 0.001), and in hs-CRP with a dosage of 2.5 ng/mL ((-1.4, -5.1); P < 0.05).
Conclusions: When used as a supplement, S. hortensis could be helpful for prevention or improvement of metabolic syndrome symptoms and primary concomitant disorders. 

Keywords

• Metabolic Syndrome
• Medicinal Plant
• Persian Medicine
• Satureja