Efficacy of Herbal Formulation for Weight Loss in Overweight Adults

CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF A SCIENTIFIC PAPER
ASSESSMENT TASK 4
SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH LITERACY
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Introduction
Obesity has become a worldwide phenomenon with over 300 million being obese across most
countries (Pillitteri, Shiffman, Rohay, Harkins, Burton & Wadden, 2008). In order to classify
obsess body mass index (BMI) is used as a measure for classification of body fat. BMI of 25 –
29.9 is characterized as obesity and is seen associated with increased rate of comorbidities such
as type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases and even some types of cancers. In the
current evaluation of scientific paper, the selected article is by Dixit, Kamath, Alluri and Davis
(2018) named “Efficacy of a novel herbal formulation for weight loss demonstrated in a 16‐week
randomized, double‐blind, and placebo‐controlled clinical trial with healthy overweight adults”.
In this paper a brief discussion regarding obesity is undertaken and impact of herbal formulation
with modest calorie restriction and physical activity on weight loss is determined. The aim of this
study was to conduct clinical investigation for evaluating body weight loss efficacy and
tolerability of L185008F amongst healthy over weight participants. The primary strengths of this
study include identifying impacts of herbal intake with that of weight loss. The weaknesses of
the article include inability to identify impacts from calories intake on reduction in BMI.
Through discussion of research methodology and study’s results appropriate discussion and
conclusion was arrived at.
Overview of the Research Methodology
Identifying an appropriate research methodology is critical to any study, as it allows recognizing
ways in which the study progresses. In the current study, materials included herbal formulation
L185008F being divided into 6 parts. The material was made by combining three parts of
Murraya koenigii (L) Spreng, leaf aqueous ethanol extracts along with 1 part of Curcuma longa
L. The study was approved by the ethical committee in Bengaluru, India and was conducted in
accordance to the Declaration of Helsinki of Good Clinical Practice. The study opted for
positivism research methodology and as this was a scientific study, epistemology was opted. As
the study progressed through observation of facts and explanations of the same. The study
collected data of qualitative and quantitative in nature. The collection of data involved mainly
primary sources by way of collecting data first-hand from participants. Using supplements of
LI85008F in obsess adults in double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study reflects reducing
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body weight as well as BMI with improving serum lipid profiles and serum adiponectin. A set of
in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies has provided support for safety of the same. LI85008F
was given in zero hard gelatin capsules whereas the placebo capsules looked similar in size,
external appearance and weight such as texture and color.
In order to collect data for the study one hundred and forty overweight participants of age 21 to
50 years of BMI 27 to 29.9 kg/m2 was selected for the study. The participants were divided into
given two dosages of 900mg/d or two placebo capsules. The participants received counseling on
ways that they could follow 1800kcal/d diet or to engage in walking for 30 min for a 5 day/ week
walk during the course of the study. The study adopted cohort participants for conducting the
same. The study was presented in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT)
flow diagram by use of computer generated blocks. The duration of the study lasted for a period
of 16 weeks. Then statistical analysis was undertaken for data that was collected, which included
hematological and biochemical evaluation. Descriptive statistical evaluation has been undertaken
along with parametric tests which included paired t-test and unpaired t-test for comparing
amongst groups. Comparing of body weights on follow up visits amongst the LI85008F and the
placebo group is analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The major strength of the
study includes its capability to collect data from primary participants and conducted quantitative
analysis of such data. The study has been able to collect data from a wide variety of participants
and adopt appropriate methodology in arriving at the results for the same. Whereas weakness of
the study includes inability to draw conclusion related to impact of side effects from the drug that
was used. Though the clinical trial of the study can be safety adopted, its primary challenge
remains inability of the study in drawing direct association of the same with that of BMI. The
study has been conducted in Bengaluru in India, which creates primary challenge for the study as
there were no widespread data collected. The sample selected for the study was rather small.
Moreover, there is limited number of supported literatures that are available for this study to re-
establish its validity.
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Study’s Results
Post the study’s trial period, the reducing effects of L185008F depicted significant lowering of
body weight in the range 5.36 (+/-) 1.769 kg as against the placebo group of 0.87 (+/-) 1.381 kg.
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