Clinical Investigations of the Effect of Citrus unshiu Peel Pellet on Obesity and Lipid Profile

OBJECTIVES: Several experimental studies have reported antiobesity and lipid-improving effects of Citrus unshiu. However, clinical studies on its effects are lacking. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of Citrus unshiu peel pellet (CUPP) on obesity and lipid profile. METHODS: For 118 patients with body mass index (BMI) > 23 who took Citrus unshiu peel pellet (CUPP) for 4 weeks in a Public Health Center, laboratory and biometric readings before and after CUPP administration were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of these subjects was 53.8±10.6 years (range: 18-75 years). There were 88 (74.6%) females in the study sample (n = 118). A significant (p < 0.01) decrease in BMI from 27.47±2.24 to 27.27±2.22 was observed in all subjects after CUPP treatment and 65.3% (N = 77) of them lost 1.03±0.83 kg of weight after 4 weeks of treatment. Total cholesterol level was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased from 204.0±37.4 mg/dL to 193.5±36.5 mg/dL. Significant (p < 0.05) decreases in levels of low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triglyceride were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CUPP in practice could help weight control and improve total cholesterol level. Findings of this study provide clinical foundation for future large-scale trials to establish clinical benefits of CUPP.