The Effects of Portulaca Oleracea on Lipid Profile, C-Reactive Protein, and Fasting Blood Glucose in Men with Metabolic Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Obesity, high blood triglyceride, and high waist circumferences are some risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies have shown that ω-3 fatty acids can reduce the incidence of CVD. Portulaca oleracea is an herbaceous plant and its leaves contain a high level of ω-3 fatty acid (α-linolenic acid). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Portulaca oleracea extract on fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP) in men with metabolic syndrome.
This double-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 80 men with metabolic syndrome for 8 weeks. Participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received two Portulaca oleracea ýcapsules each day and the control group received two placebo capsules. ANOVA was used to examine the effect of the intervention.
Findings: Fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and CRP decreased in the control and intervention groups, but this reduction was not significant. Triglyceride level increased in both group, but this variation was not significant. HDL increased in the intervention group, but decreased in the control group. However, the difference between the two groups was not significant. Accordingly, total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol decreased in the intervention group, but increased in the control group. Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed between the control and intervention groups.
The results of this study showed that Portulaca oleracea ýcapsule consumption did not have a significant impact on fasting blood glucose, CRP, and lipid profile in men with metabolic syndrome.