IngredientesThe genus Caralluma belongs to the family Apocynaceae and is found throughout Asia (Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka), Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, and Southeast Europe. The species of primary commercial and scientific interest, Caralluma fimbriata Wall., carries a synonymous accepted botanical name: Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata (Wall.) Gravely & Mayur. of the family Apocynaceae. This synonymy is acknowledged in the scientific literature, where the two names are used interchangeably.
The name "Caralluma" is derived from the Arabic word "qarh al-luhum," meaning "flesh wound" or "abscess." Caralluma fimbriata is one such medicinal plant that is gaining popularity; it is a wild, edible, succulent roadside shrub with cactus-like leaves.
Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent herb, growing up to 30 centimeters tall. It has four-sided, fleshy green stems that taper towards the tips. While it produces tiny leaves on young shoots, these quickly drop off, leaving a spiky projection. Its flowers are small, about 2 cm in diameter, and can be purple or yellow with frilly, hairy margins.
Among the genus, C. fimbriata is the most common species, growing wild in urban areas, planted as roadside shrubs, and used as boundary markers in gardens. Caralluma fimbriata has been used as an appetite suppressant and has also been used to treat diabetes, pain, fever, and inflammation. It grows wild all over India and is also planted as a roadside shrub and boundary marker in gardens.
The plant is known by many common names including: C. Fimbriate, Caraluma, Caralluma ascendens, Caralluma Cactus, Kallimudayan, Karallamu, Kullee Mooliyan, Makad Shenguli, Ranshabar, Shindala Makadi, Wild Succulent Cactus, and Yugmaphallottama. Caralluma fimbriata is also known as "famine food" in India.
This versatile plant is consumed daily in various forms: cooked as a vegetable, preserved in chutneys and pickles, or eaten raw, highlighting its cultural and nutritional significance in traditional diets. In contemporary global commerce, the plant's extract is standardized and encapsulated. An extract of C. fimbriata (Slimaluma®, Gencor Nutrients, Anaheim, CA, USA) is used as an anti-obesity agent and appetite suppressor. Active capsules used in clinical studies have contained 500 mg of the extract each, the extract containing about 50% w/w of pregnane glycosides. The extract was prepared from aerial parts of Caralluma fimbriata extracted with aqueous ethanol and then subjected to resin removal; the extract was then concentrated, adsorbed on a suitable excipient, dried, and incorporated in gelatin capsules.
Caralluma fimbriata Wall., an edible succulent belonging to the family Apocynaceae, holds a prominent place in traditional Indian medicine and cuisine. Widely distributed across arid regions of peninsular India, it has been consumed for centuries as a famine food, appetite suppressant, and therapeutic agent.
It has been eaten in rural India for centuries in raw form, as a vegetable with spices, or preserved in chutneys and pickles. It has been used as a portable food and thirst quencher for hunting. It has also been used for its purported ability to suppress hunger and appetite and enhance stamina.
The Wealth of India, the Indian Health Ministry's comprehensive compilation on medicinal plants, lists Caralluma fimbriata as a vegetable, used in curries, pickles, or eaten raw. Among Indian tribal populations, C. fimbriata is known as a famine food and thirst quencher when its green follicles are boiled and salted.
In Kerala, South India, C. fimbriata is used as a vegetable and appetite suppressant among tribal populations; it also finds use as an appetite suppressant and famine food during times of scarcity.
Caralluma adscendens (Roxb.) Haw var. fimbriata was renowned in Pakistan as an emergency food and appetite suppressant, and it was also used in Indian traditional medicine to treat pain, fever, inflammation, and diabetes.
Different forms of Caralluma are used to treat rheumatism, diabetes, leprosy, and have been attributed antipyretic and anthelmintic action, and use against tumors, fungal infections, snake bites, scorpion bites, and for antinociceptive activity.
The Indian Caralluma species are used against different diseases, including diabetes and inflammatory diseases; the species of Caralluma found in India are edible and form a part of the Ayurveda tradition.
Phytochemical investigations of the genus Caralluma have led to the identification of over 150 metabolite compounds, whose chemical structures include pregnane steroids, sterols, triterpenoids, flavonoids, megastigmanes, and others.
The genus is known for compounds such as pregnane glycosides, flavonoid glycosides, flavones, megastigmane glycosides, pregnane steroids, steroidal glycosides, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, aromatic and non-aromatic volatile compounds, and β-sitosterol.
Key phytochemical constituents of the herb are pregnane glycosides, flavone glycosides, megastigmane glycosides, and saponins.
Pregnane glycosides are considered the most important and extensively studied class of compounds in C. fimbriata. Ten pregnane derivatives have been isolated and structurally elucidated from the methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of C. fimbriata. The isolation was carried out by repeated fractionation and reversed-phase column chromatography. Acid hydrolysis, X-ray crystallography, and 1D/2D NMR as well as LCMS techniques were used to establish structures and absolute configurations. These compounds serve as essential chemical markers to establish the authenticity of raw plant materials and commercial products.
On reviewing the studies undertaken on the chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic potential of Caralluma, it is concluded that the genus is also composed of pregnane glycosides as one of its major constituents. The availability of pregnane glycosides in Caralluma is an indication of the appetite-suppressant property of this genus.
One commercially analyzed Caralluma fimbriata extract (CFE) was found to contain about 12% pregnane glycosides and 1.3% polyphenols.
Rich in bioactive compounds such as pregnane glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, and triterpenes, C. fimbriata exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, including antiobesogenic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, nootropic, renoprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
It is known as a rich source of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, and glycosides. Methanol and water extracts have been shown to have good total phenolic and flavonoid contents, demonstrating potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities; the antioxidant activity was correlated well with the amount of total phenolics present in the extracts.
Plants of the Asclepiadaceae family, including C. fimbriata, contain an array of constituents known for their appetite-suppressing effects in the hypothalamus, including pregnane glycosides. Previous studies have proposed that the mechanism for appetite suppression by C. fimbriata extract (CFE) is through down-regulation of ghrelin synthesis in the stomach and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus, but the exact mechanism of action is unknown.
Pregnane glycosides in CFE are most likely responsible for this effect, through their action on the hypothalamus and the cortisol response.
It is proposed that CFE's mechanism of action involves the pregnane glycosides, both as an antihyperglycemic and as an antinociceptive agent, and that the various steroidal glycosides increase stimulation of the anorexigenic melanocortin pathway.
Pregnane glycosides act as inhibitors in the process of adipocyte cell division. These glycosides significantly inhibit adipogenesis and therefore can contribute to the management of obesity and regulation of body parameters and related disorders. In mouse-derived 3T3-L1 cell lines, CFE has inhibited preadipocyte cell division during adipogenesis in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
The interference of CFE with α-amylase and lipase enzymes has been investigated in vitro as a possible peripheral mechanism of action. The consumption of C. fimbriata may be helpful in the management of diabetes mellitus due to its glucose-lowering potential, anorexic effects, antioxidant potential, and α-amylase inhibition.
Research into Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) has found that CFE activity may involve the 5-HT2c receptor in a PWS Snord116 deletion mouse model. Central to PWS is SnoRNA116. The supplement CFE has been shown to decrease appetite behavior in some individuals with PWS, and investigations of the mechanism underpinning the effect of CFE on food intake in the Snord116del mouse have explored the involvement of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 2c receptor antagonist, as the 5-HT2cR is implicated in central signaling of satiety.
Results from an in vivo rat study showed that CFE induced effects neither on blood parameters, nor on liver and gut histomorphology. Interestingly, a reduction in body weight gain with an increase in water intake and hypothalamic levels of NPY and ORX peptides were found. The authors noted this may reflect compensatory orexigenic signaling in response to reduced nutrient absorption rather than a direct suppression of these peptides.
The most comprehensive synthesis of human evidence to date is a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. A total of 7 articles studying C. fimbriata satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, sourced from various countries including Australia (3), Cuba (1), India (2), and Spain (1). Almost all studies recruited adults who were overweight or obese with a BMI >25 kg/m² (n = 5), with the exception of two studies — one that recruited healthy adults with a BMI average of 26.5 kg/m² and a second that utilized a population of children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome. Parameters assessing obesity, biochemical, and appetite factors were analyzed by meta-analysis.
Compared to the placebo-controlled group, C. fimbriata extract significantly reduced waist circumference (WC) by 1.59 cm (95% CI, −3.07 to −0.10, p = 0.041) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) by 0.06 (95% CI, −0.12 to −0.01, p = 0.05), although no significant effects were seen on body weight (BW), BMI, or hip circumference (HC). Biochemical and appetite parameters showed no significant changes with C. fimbriata consumption.
The review concluded that appetite parameters showed no significant changes and metabolic parameters did not improve with C. fimbriata supplementation, and therefore it is unlikely to recommend C. fimbriata as a weight loss supplement and appetite suppressant. This conclusion reflects the weakness of the existing evidence base rather than definitive proof of inefficacy.
Kuriyan et al. (2007): Caralluma fimbriata is an edible cactus used by tribal Indians to suppress hunger and enhance endurance. The effect of Caralluma extract was assessed in overweight individuals by a placebo-controlled randomized trial. Fifty adult men and women (25–60 years) with a BMI greater than 25 kg/m² were randomly assigned to a placebo or experimental group; the latter received 1 g of Caralluma extract per day for 60 days. All subjects were given standard advice regarding a weight-reducing diet and physical activity.
Arora et al. (2015): A total of 89 patients were randomized into a treatment group (n = 47) and a placebo group (n = 42) to receive either CFE in the form of capsules/oral 500 mg twice daily for 12 weeks, or a matching placebo in a similar way. Patients were evaluated clinically and biochemically at 4, 8, and 12 weeks for anthropometric measurements, appetite, biochemical investigations, and other safety parameters. At the end of the study period, both CFE and placebo for 12 weeks caused only numerical reduction in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio in overweight and obese individuals. A commercially available extract of CFE at an oral dose of 1 g/day claimed to have anti-obesity effects but failed to yield any positive results on anthropometry and appetite in overweight and obese individuals beyond placebo. There were also no significant differences in the clinical and biochemical parameters. However, CFE was well tolerated.
Rao et al. (2021): A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial examined the effect of a Caralluma fimbriata extract (CFE) on biomarkers of satiety and body composition in overweight adults. Eighty-three men and women aged between 20 and 50 years completed 16 weeks of daily supplementation with either CFE or placebo. Plasma cardiometabolic (lipid profile, glucose, insulin) and satiety (ghrelin, leptin, neuropeptide Y) biomarkers, body composition, diet history, and gastrointestinal function were assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. Following 16 weeks of supplementation, the CFE group significantly reduced their caloric intake from baseline compared to the placebo group (245.0 cal vs. 15.8 cal respectively; p < 0.01). In addition, the CFE group also had a significant reduction in waist circumference of 2.7 cm compared to a gain of 0.3 cm in the placebo group (p = 0.02).
Astell et al. (2013): In this pilot study, the effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract in combination with controlled dietary intake and physical activity on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome was assessed in overweight and obese Australian subjects. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Forty-three adults aged 29–59 years were recruited, with eligibility criteria including a BMI >25 kg/m² or a waist circumference >94 cm (male), >80 cm (female).
Overall Evidence Characterization: The evidence for weight loss and appetite suppression in the general adult population is mixed and weak. The most consistent finding across studies is a small, statistically significant reduction in waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio; effects on overall body weight, BMI, and biochemical markers of appetite have not been consistently demonstrated. Research examining the appetite suppressing and weight loss effects of CFE in both human and animal subjects has been positive; however, to date only a few human trials have been conducted, with limited understanding of mechanism, and more research on humans is required.
Prader-Willi syndrome results from a deletion of the paternal genes in the region of chromosome 15q11-q13. PWS develops hyperphagia, which when left unmanaged, leads to an excessive ingestion of food. To date there is inadequate pharmacological treatment or supplementation for modification of the PWS hyperphagia and/or the associated behaviors.
A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized crossover pilot trial conducted over a 10-week period investigated the effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract (CFE) versus placebo (maltodextrin/cabbage leaf) in children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome (n = 15). Caralluma ingestion demonstrated a significant accumulative hyperphagia decrease related to dose, with a mean decrease observed at the highest dose of 1,000 mg/day (CFE 0.28 ± 0.69 vs. placebo −0.04 ± 0.64; P = 0.009). Due to the small participant numbers, the lower doses (750 mg, 500 mg, and 250 mg) did not have sufficient statistical power to determine any dose-related effects. There was a large variation between participant scores.
This is a preliminary but positive finding that warrants further investigation in larger, adequately powered trials.
An 8-week double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in which 97 adults self-reporting mild to moderate anxiety were given 500 mg twice daily of CFE (n = 49) or 500 mg twice daily of placebo (n = 48). Anxiety and stress were measured at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using the GAD-7, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and salivary cortisol. Results indicated a significant reduction in anxiety and stress in both groups at week 4 and week 8. The reduction in the CFE group was significantly greater (p < .05) than in the placebo group on the GAD-7 and PSS at week 4 and week 8, and in Negative Affect scores. This is a single trial with a specific population and these findings are preliminary.
Exploration of the nutritional and nutraceutical potential of C. fimbriata has revealed significant bioactive constituents that have shown amelioration in cardiometabolic biomarkers, hyperglycemia, obesity, and appetite control. However, the clinical trial evidence specifically targeting metabolic syndrome parameters has been inconsistent. At the end of the study period, both CFE and placebo for 12 weeks caused only numerical reduction in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio in overweight and obese individuals, indicating that, in at least one well-controlled trial, significant metabolic improvements were not observed.
Caralluma fimbriata was evaluated for its antioxidant potential using total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The extracts were found to have different levels of antioxidant properties in the test models used. Methanol and water extracts had good total phenolic and flavonoid contents, showing potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. The antioxidant activity was correlated well with the amount of total phenolics present in the extracts. These are in vitro findings; there are no published controlled human trials specifically evaluating the antioxidant effects of CFE.
A 2024 study evaluated the anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic potential of Caralluma fimbriata (CF) in a 28-day rat modeling trial. The consumption of C. fimbriata can be helpful in the management of diabetes mellitus due to its glucose-lowering potential, anorexic effects, antioxidant potential, and α-amylase inhibition. This evidence is currently limited to preclinical (animal and cell) models; no dedicated human clinical trials on the antidiabetic effects of C. fimbriata have been published.
Rich in bioactive compounds such as pregnane glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, and triterpenes, C. fimbriata exhibits diverse pharmacological activities including antiobesogenic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, nootropic, renoprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. Preclinical studies demonstrate its ability to modulate appetite, improve lipid and glucose metabolism, reduce oxidative stress, and protect organ function. All of these activities beyond appetite suppression remain at the preclinical stage and have not been validated in human clinical trials.
Based on available peer-reviewed evidence, C. fimbriata has been associated with the following body systems and health domains:
The following dosages reflect those used in published clinical and toxicological research:
Caralluma extract is possibly safe when used in doses no greater than 1,000 mg daily for up to 12 weeks.
Caralluma fimbriata extract has received Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for use as a nutraceutical. Based on a safety study and the historical use of this plant in India without any reported adverse effects, Caralluma fimbriata extract was assigned the GRAS status in 2006. However, no long-term safety studies have been carried out.
A toxicological assessment evaluated the safety of a hydroethanolic extract prepared from Caralluma fimbriata (CFE), a dietary supplement marketed worldwide as an appetite suppressant. Studies included two in vitro genotoxicity assays, a repeated-dose oral toxicity study, and a developmental study in rats. No evidence of in vitro mutagenicity or clastogenicity was found in the in vitro studies at concentrations up to 5,000 µg of extract/plate (Ames test) or 5,000 µg of extract/mL (chromosomal aberration test).
The six-month chronic oral toxicity rat study found no deaths or treatment-related toxicities at three doses: 100, 300, and 1,000 mg/kg body weight. The studies performed included two in vitro genotoxicity assays, a repeated-dose oral toxicity study, and a prenatal developmental study during which no external, visceral, or skeletal fetal abnormalities were observed up to the maximum dose tested.
Any side effects of individuals who ingested the extract were reported by few studies, of which the most common effects were constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and rashes. Caralluma might cause some mild side effects such as stomach upset, intestinal gas, constipation, and stomach pain. These side effects usually go away after a week of use.
The Caralluma genus seems to be safe for most people when 500 mg of the extract is taken twice a day for up to 60 days; however, the long-term safety is not known. The longest human trial identified in the literature ran for 16 weeks, and formal long-term safety data beyond this duration are unavailable.
Only six Caralluma species have reported toxic activity among the approximately 2,500 species of the genus. Methanolic, ethanolic, and ethyl acetate extracts of Caralluma tuberculata show significant toxicity, while the aqueous extract was found to be nontoxic. These findings pertain to other species, not C. fimbriata, but underscore the importance of correct species identification.
Formal safety evaluations for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children (except in the specific Prader-Willi syndrome trial context), or individuals with significant hepatic or renal impairment have not been conducted for C. fimbriata extract. The prenatal developmental toxicity study in female Sprague-Dawley rats at doses of 250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg bw/d resulted in no treatment-related external, visceral, or skeletal fetal abnormalities, but this preclinical finding does not replace human safety data.
No formal pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic drug interaction studies specific to C. fimbriata extracts have been published in the peer-reviewed literature. Given the proposed inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, theoretically relevant interactions with antidiabetic agents (particularly oral hypoglycemics) have been postulated, but these have not been evaluated in human studies.
The GRAS status of the extract of C. fimbriata has opened the possibility of developing anti-obesity/appetite-suppressant products from other species of Caralluma. It is an edible succulent cactus used for centuries by Western Indians as both a food and an appetite suppressant; nowadays it is used as a "natural" slimming food supplement, and a standardized extract of C. fimbriata (Slimaluma®) has been patented. Considering the recent launch of C. fimbriata products in the U.S. dietary supplements market, it has been identified as important to study the phytochemical constitution of C. fimbriata.
Condiciones de salud que Caralluma fimbriata puede ayudar a apoyar.
Caralluma fimbriata is an edible succulent plant used traditionally in India as an appetite suppressant. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 7 clinical RCTs found significant reductions in waist circumference vs. placebo. Its pregnane glycosides are proposed to suppress appetite via hypothalamic NPY and ghrelin pathways.
Caralluma fimbriata is an edible succulent used in India as an appetite suppressant during famine and long hunts. A 2021 PMC systematic review and meta-analysis of 7 clinical trials found C. fimbriata significantly reduced waist circumference and showed trends toward appetite suppression and weight reduction.
Sistemas corporales que Caralluma fimbriata puede ayudar a apoyar.
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