Researchers have found that supplementing with the seed powder of Syzygium cumini (also called the Java plum) may inhibit oxidative stress while exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic action in rats that were fed a high-carbohydrate, high-fat (HCHF) diet. The results of the study were published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• Obesity is now a global issue that affects both developed and developing countries. In particular, “cafeteria-type” diets, which are mainly composed of high levels of both fat and carbohydrates could be a factor in obesity and metabolic syndrome.
• Researchers studied whether S. cumini seed powder can affect fat build-up and dyslipidemia in obese rats fed with an HCHF diet.
• Wistar rats were fed with S. cumini seed powder for 56 days (at 2.5 percent of seed powder by weight of diet). During this time, blood sugar, lipid levels, and liver biomarkers were analyzed, as well as antioxidant activity.
• At the end of the experiment, researchers found that S. cumini seed powder reduced body weight gain and fat build-up. It also improved blood glucose, serum insulin, and plasma lipids such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL and HDL concentrations.
• It also improved liver biomarkers and prevented inflammatory cell infiltration.

The findings suggest that S. cumini seed powder supplementation can be used to prevent oxidative stress, including inflammation and fibrosis activity in the liver.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Ulla A, Alam MA, Sikder B, Sumi FA, Rahman MM, Habib ZF, Mohammed MK, Subhan N, Hossain H, Reza HM. SUPPLEMENTATION OF SYZYGIUM CUMINI SEED POWDER PREVENTED OBESITY, GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE, HYPERLIPIDEMIA AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN HIGH CARBOHYDRATE HIGH FAT DIET INDUCED OBESE RATS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017;17. (289). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1799-8