Effect of 12 weeks of continuous burdock sprout extract intake on oxidized LDL: A placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-groups study

Abstract

Background: Arctigenin, a lignan polyphenol found in burdock sprout, is a potent activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and has beneficial effects on metabolic disorders in mice. This highlights the potential value of arctigenin for the reduction of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) by activation of AMPK in human, but not well elucidated.

Methods: We conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-groups study in healthy adults to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of a continuous intake of burdock sprout extract enriched with arctigenin on lipid metabolism. The subjects were 100 Japanese individuals with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 140 mg/dl and a body mass index (BMI) of 23–30 kg/m2 who were randomly assigned to receive either burdock sprout extract (test food) or a placebo. The test food was encapsulated burdock sprout extract containing approximately 40 mg of arctigenin equivalent per day, and the placebo capsules contained no burdock sprout extract. The subjects consumed the assigned foods daily for 12 weeks.

Results: The test food significantly suppressed oxLDL after 12 weeks in subjects with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or higher. The test food inhibited an increase in the FIB-4 index (liver fibrosis index), an indicator of hepatic fibrosis. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed a significant correlation between oxLDL and FIB-4 index changes, suggesting that the test food suppressed the rise in the FIB-4 index by controlling oxLDL while maintaining the platelet count.

Conclusions: We conclude that the consumption of a burdock sprout supplement containing arctigenin is effective in suppressing oxLDL, which may prevent liver fibrosis.

Clinical trial registration: UMIN000036664

Keywords: arctigenin, burdock sprout, oxidized LDL, FIB-4 index, randomized controlled study