Chinese scientists have discovered that pepper leaf extract can alleviate metabolic disturbances caused by fatty foods. In an experiment on mice, researchers compared the effects of pepper leaf extract with spinach extract and obeticholic acid, used against liver disease. The results of the study were published in the journal Nutrients.
Animals were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. This diet has led to obesity, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance (decreased cellular sensitivity to insulin) and impaired intestinal barrier function.
Pepper leaf extract showed the most prominent therapeutic effect. When the supplement was added to the animals' diets, body weight decreased, fat accumulation decreased, and insulin sensitivity improved. Signs of liver damage also decreased. The extract was more effective than spinach extract and the comparator drug in several measures.
Researchers have also found that the substance helps restore the intestinal barrier system, the system that prevents harmful bacteria and their toxins from entering the bloodstream from the gut. At the same time, the composition of the intestinal microbiota changed for the better, and bile acid metabolism was normalized. These changes were accompanied by a more stable metabolism and reduced inflammation.
The authors emphasize that the results were obtained from animal experiments and therefore cannot be directly applied to humans. However, the data obtained indicate that compounds derived from pepper leaves may be a promising avenue for the development of new treatments for metabolic disorders.
