Draft genome of the medicinal tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia.

BACKGROUND: Melaleuca alternifolia is a commercially important medicinal tea tree native to Australia. Tea tree oil, the essential oil distilled from its branches and leaves, has broad-spectrum germicidal activity and is highly valued in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Thus, the study of genome, which can provide reference for the investigation of genes involved in terpinen-4-ol biosynthesis, is quite crucial for improving the productivity of Tea tree oil. METHODS AND RESULTS: In our study, the next-generation sequencing was used to investigate the whole genome of Melaleuca alternifolia. About 114 Gb high quality sequence data were obtained and assembled into 1,838,159 scafolds with an N50 length of 1021 bp. The assembled genome size is about 595 Mb, twice of that predicted by flow cytometer (300 Mb) and k-mer analysis (345 Mb). Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analyses indicated that only 11.3% of the conserved single-copy genes were miss. Repetitive regions cover over 40.43% of the genome. A total of 44,369 protein-coding genes were predicted and annotated against Nr, Swissprot, Refseq, COG, KOG, and KEGG database. Among these genes, 32,909 and 16,241 genes were functionally annotated in Nr and KEGG, respectively. Moreover, 29,411 and 14,435 genes were functionally annotated in COG and KOG. Additionally, 457,661 simple sequence repeats and 1109 transcription factors (TFs) form 67 TF families were identified in the assembled genome. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide a draft genome sequencing of M. alternifolia which can act as a reference for the deep sequencing strategies, and are useful for future functional and comparative genomics analyses.

Consumption of mate Ilex paraguariensis: a folk beverage with antioxidant power against myocardial ischemic injury

The effects of the aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis (Ip)and the flavonoid quercetin were tested during the induction of in vivomyocardial ischemia/ reperfusion in Rattus norvegicus. The antioxidant power of the extract and quercetin were chemically determined. The experimental groups were: control, ischemia/reperfusion induction, Iporal treatment, Iporal treatment and ischemia /reperfusion, quercetin oral treatment, and quercetin oral treatment and ischemia/reperfusion. Rats were anesthetized with sodium thiopental and xylazine via intraperitoneal injection and subsequently underwent 15 minutes of ischemia followed by 15 minutes of reperfusion. Ischemia was promoted by tying the left anterior descending coronary artery. Areas of risk and infarction were stained by intravenous Evans blue and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant capacity against peroxylradicals, and lipid peroxidation of the myocardium were quantified. A significant reduction in areas of risk and infarction was detected in the ischemic myocardium treated with Ipand quercetin; ROS generation and lipid peroxidation were significantly reduced, and the antioxidant capacity was elevated. Oral administration of Ippromoted antioxidant benefits in the myocardium during ischemia and reperfusion, which reduced infarction. We suggest that Mate (a hot drink made from steeped dried leaves of Ip) consumption is a potential cardioprotective habit of indigenous people from southern South American countries, which must be better understood scientifically and ethnographically.

Green Tea for Cancer Prevention.

Editor's note: The mission of Cochrane Nursing is to provide an international evidence base for nurses involved in delivering, leading, or researching nursing care. Cochrane Corner provides summaries of recent systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library. For more information, see https://nursing.cochrane.org.

Documenting the heritage along the Silk Road: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: People in Southern Xinjiang, China have been consuming medicinal teas for healthcare since before the ancient Silk Road markets began. Several pharmaceutical studies have illustrated the potential healthcare benefits of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China. However, little information is available from the literature about the diversity of the species used and related traditional knowledge of these medicinal teas. AIMS OF THE STUDY: (i) create a comprehensive record of medicinal tea plant species (MTPS) and combinations used with related traditional knowledge for healthcare in Southern Xinjiang, China; (ii) assess safety of MTPS, and (iii) address conservation status for sustainable use of MTPS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We employed both field and market surveys from 2014 to 2019 in 10 counties/cities and four main medicinal tea markets by using semi-structured interviews. We interviewed 236 informants and 70 medicinal tea shop vendors. The commonly used MTPS were ranked by Frequency of Citation. Safety issues were assessed based on expert knowledge and with reference to the official list of Medicinal Plants Used as Food. Conservation implications of plant use were assessed as part of the interviews and this was cross referenced with official records. RESULTS: The surveys revealed 145 different plants from 65 families used for making medicinal teas, expanding the list of known Chinese herbal tea species from 782 to 884. Leguminosae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae were dominant families. Herbs (60.7%, 88 species) were the most commonly used plant types; fruits (23.1%, 50 species) and seeds (22.2%, 48 species) were commonly used parts. Nearly half (42.1%) of the plant species were introduced from abroad. Respondents reported more than 50 types of healthcare uses of medicinal teas. Tonic (13.7%, 71 species) and promoting digestion (9.6%, 50 species) were the most frequently mentioned healthcare uses. The majority of commonly used plant species were spices (20 species, 50%) and aromatic plants (10 species, 25%). Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Piper longum L. Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry and Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis were the most cited species. High doses of Piper longum L., Crocus sativus L., Curcuma longa L, and Senna alexandrina Mill. May have negative health implications. Assessments of conservation status and sustainable use of tea species indicate that wild harvesting of Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC. and Pterocarpus indicus Willd. Should be controlled and cultivation technologies should be improved. CONCLUSIONS: We found high plant species diversity and rich traditional knowledge of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China. The traditional healthcare uses of some of the medicinal teas are also supported by pharmaceutical evidence. Others should be investigated further. Conservation pressures exist for commonly used wild species. China's 'Healthy China 2030' policy should do more to take traditional cultural practices into account. In doing so, both local and national government agendas may seek to promote sustainable harvest and to protect traditional knowledge so that this cultural heritage continues to serve human well-being into the future.

Microbial and metabolomic remodeling by a formula of Sichuan dark tea improves hyperlipidemia in apoE-deficient mice.

Medicine-food homology is a long-standing concept in traditional Chinese medicine. YiNianKangBao (YNKB) tea is a medicine-food formulation based on Sichuan dark tea (Ya'an Tibetan tea), which is traditionally used for its lipid-lowering properties. In this study, we evaluated the effects of YNKB on dyslipidemia and investigated the mechanism underlying its correlation with gut microbiota and serum metabolite regulation. Wild-type mice were fed a normal diet as a control. Male ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into three high-fat diet (HFD) groups, a model group, and two treated groups (100, 400 mg/kg/d for low, high-dose), and fed by gavage for 12 weeks. Serum lipid levels, composition of gut microbiota, and serum metabolites were then analyzed before treatment with YNKB. We extracted the ingredients of YNKB in boiled water for one hour. YNKB supplementation at a high dose of 400 mg/kg/day reduced bodyweight gains (relative epididymal fat pad and liver weight), and markedly attenuated serum lipid profiles and atherosclerosis index, with no significant differences present between the low-dose treatment and HFD groups. Gut microbiota and serum metabolic analysis indicated that significant differences were observed between normal, HFD, and YNKB treatment groups. These differences in gut microbiota exhibited strong correlations with dyslipidemia-related indexes and serum metabolite levels. Oral administration of high-dose YNKB also showed significant lipid-lowering activity against hyperlipidemia in apoE-deficient mice, which might be associated with composition alterations of the gut microbiota and changes in serum metabolite abundances. These findings highlight that YNKB as a medicine-food formulation derived from Sichuan dark tea could prevent dyslipidemia and improve the understanding of its mechanisms and the pharmacological rationale for preventive use.

Metal content in medicinal teas used in the Urubueua de Fátima river community, Abaetetuba-Pará State, Brazil / Contenido de metal en tés terapéuticos utilizados en la comunidad del Río Urubueua de Fátima, estado de Abaetetuba-Pará, Brasil

The content of certain metals in 13 medicinal teas made from 16 plant species was measured by flame photometer and atomic absorption spectrometer with flame methods. The measurements were evaluated against metal intake levels recommended by health authorities. The results indicate that the medicinal teas tested, regularly consumed by inhabitants of the Urubueua de Fátima River Community, Abaetetuba-Para, Brazil, present no risk of poisoning people older than six months. However, decoctions of Mentha sp., Eleutherine bulbosa, Euterpe oleracea, Piper callosum and Hyptis mutabilis, mostly given to children, had Mn values potentially exceeding the recommended maximum intake for infants in the 0-6 months age group, in the quantities customarily administered. Consequently, studies are needed to assess bioavailability for safe human consumption. Results also showed the consumption of medicinal tea alone is not enough to supply an adult's daily metal requirements or treat deficiencies. Additionally, cures emphasized by interviewed Community members might be associated with the bioactivity of organic substances that the medicinal teas contain.

El contenido de algunos metales en 13 tés medicinales de las 16 especies consumidas por los habitantes de la comunidad del Río Urubueua de Fátima, Abaetetuba-Para, Brasil, se evaluó mediante un fotómetro de llama y un espectrómetro de absorción atómica con métodos de llama, y se comparó con los niveles recomendados por las agencias de la salud. Los tés medicinales evaluados no mostraron riesgo de intoxicación para las personas mayores de seis meses de edad, sino las decocciones de Mentha sp., Eleutherine bulbosa, Euterpe oleracea, Piper callosum y Hyptis mutabilis, en su mayoría dirigidos a la ingesta de niños, informaron valores de Mn superiores a la ingesta máxima recomendada para el grupo de infantes (0-6 meses), debido a que estos estudios son necesarios para evaluar la biodisponibilidad para un consumo humano seguro. Los resultados también mostraron que solo el consumo de té medicinal no es suficiente para satisfacer las necesidades diarias recomendadas de ingesta de minerales o para tratar las deficiencias. Además, los informes de curación, enfatizados por los habitantes, indican que la bioactividad observada podría estar asociada a sustancias orgánicas presentes en el té.

Lithium biofortification of medicinal tea Apocynum venetum.

Lithium (Li) could be much safer and successful approach to supply Li via Li-fortified food products. This study is highlighting the potential scope of Li supply via Li-biofortification of Luobuma tea (made from Apocynum venetum leaves), which is a very popular beverage in Asia with several medical properties. We explored the possibility of A. venetum as Li-enriched tea and investigated plant growth, Li accumulation, total flavonoids (TFs), rutin and hyperoside concentrations, and the antioxidant capacity of A. venetum. With the increase of additional Li, Li concentration in roots, stems and leaves increased gradually. Compared with the control treatment, 10-15 mg kg-1 Li addition stimulated the growth of A. venetum and 25 mg kg-1 Li addition significantly increased the Li concentration in leaves by 80 mg kg-1. Li application did not decrease TFs, rutin, hyperoside and antioxidant capacity of this medicinal herb. A daily consumption of 10 g Li-biofortified A. venetum leaves (cultivated with 25 mg kg-1 LiCl) can give 592 µg Li intake and would constitute 59% of the provisional recommended dietary daily intake of Li. Our results showed that Li-biofortified A. venetum leaves can be used as Li-fortified tea to enhance Li supply and to improve human health when it was used as daily drink.

Caffeine-free hawk tea lowers cholesterol by reducing free cholesterol uptake and the production of very-low-density lipoprotein.

Medicinal plants show important therapeutic value in chronic disease treatment. However, due to their diverse ingredients and complex biological effects, the molecular mechanisms of medicinal plants are yet to be explored. By means of several high-throughput platforms, here we show hawk tea extract (HTE) inhibits Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1)-mediated free cholesterol uptake, thereby inducing the transcription of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) downstream of the sterol response element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) pathway. Meanwhile, HTE suppresses hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α)-mediated transcription of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) and apolipoprotein B (APOB), thereby decreasing the production of very-low-density lipoprotein. The catechin EGCG ((-)-epigallocatechin gallate) and the flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin are identified as the bioactive components responsible for the effects on the NPC1L1-SREBP2-LDLR axis and HNF4α-MTP/APOB axis, respectively. Overall, hawk tea works as a previously unrecognized cholesterol-lowering agent in a multi-target and multi-component manner.

Functional Teas from the Stems of Penthorum chinense Pursh.: Phenolic Constituents, Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Activity.

Penthorum chinense Pursh (PCP), a medicinal and edible plant, is traditionally used for liver protection and treatment of liver diseases. In this study, we compared the differences of composition and activity of flowers, stems and leaves of PCP to select a bioactive part. The stems of PCP with stronger antioxidant activity (6.25-100 µg/mL) and lower cytotoxicity (25-200 µg/mL) than the flowers and leaves were a better bioactive part. Then the chemical composition and hepatoprotective effects of an aqueous extract and an 70% ethanolic extract made with stems of PCP were investigated. We found that the 70% ethanolic extract enriched more polyphenols and flavonoids and possessed significantly stronger hepatoprotective activity than the aqueous extract in the dose range of 25-200 µg/mL, which indicated that 70% ethanol is the better solvent of PCP in extraction technology. Moreover, ethyl acetate extract of stems of PCP (PSE) was used to evaluate the hepatoprotective ability of PCP against oxidative damage using an in vitro model of a normal rat's liver cell (BRL-3A). Besides, 12 phenolic compounds were identified from PSE by ultra-performance liquid chromatography followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS). Obtained results strongly support the traditional use of PCP and prove stems of PCP to be an important source of bioactive compounds associated with hepatoprotective activity.

Composition and safety evaluation of tea from New Zealand kawakawa (Piper excelsum).

Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) has food, medicinal and cultural importance to the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand, and is being incorporated into a range of commercial food and therapeutic products, including tea. In this study, the chemical compositions of kawakawa fresh leaves, dried leaves for tea, and hot brewed tea, were analysed and compared. The key metabolites were diayangambin, elemicin, myristicin, unidentified lignans and amides. The safety of brewed tea and tea leaves were evaluated in 8 week old Sprague Dawley rats in a 14 day acute study followed by a 28 day subacute study. In the 14 day study, the rats received the equivalent of 1, 2, 3 or 4 cups of kawakawa tea, and the rats in the 28 day study received daily doses that were equivalent to 4 cups per day. There were no adverse effects observed in the rats, and body weights and food intakes were not significantly different between the control and the kawakawa treated animals. There were small differences in organ weights, biochemical and haematology parameters observed in the rats given the kawakawa tea. In conclusion, the consumption of kawakawa tea could be considered safe within the conditions used in this study.

Rosmarinic Acid, a Component of Rosemary Tea, Induced the Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis through Modulation of HDAC2 Expression in Prostate Cancer Cell Lines.

Rosmarinic acid (RA), a main phenolic compound contained in rosemary which is used as tea, oil, medicine and so on, has been known to present anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer effects. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that play important roles in gene expression by removing the acetyl group from histone. The aberrant expression of HDAC in human tumors is related with the onset of human cancer. Especially, HDAC2, which belongs to HDAC class I composed of HDAC 1, 2, 3 and 8, has been reported to be highly expressed in prostate cancer (PCa) where it downregulates the expression of p53, resulting in an inhibition of apoptosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of RA in comparison with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), an HDAC inhibitor used as an anti-cancer agent, on survival and apoptosis of PCa cell lines, PC-3 and DU145, and the expression of HDAC. RA decreased the cell proliferation in cell viability assay, and inhibited the colony formation and tumor spheroid formation. Additionally, RA induced early- and late-stage apoptosis of PC-3 and DU145 cells in Annexin V assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. In western blot analysis, RA inhibited the expression of HDAC2, as SAHA did. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1 and cyclin E1 were downregulated by RA, whereas p21 was upregulated. In addition, RA modulated the protein expression of intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway-related genes, such as Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) (cleaved) via the upregulation of p53 derived from HDAC2 downregulation, leading to the increased apoptosis of PC-3 and DU145 cells. Taken together, treatment of RA to PCa cell lines inhibits the cell survival and induces cell apoptosis, and it can be used as a novel therapeutic agent toward PCa.

Effect of wild grape on the signaling of histamine H1 receptor gene expression responsible for the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.

As expression level of allergic disease-sensitive genes are correlated with allergic symptom severity, suppression of these gene expressions could be good therapeutics. We have demonstrated that PKCδ signaling and NFAT signaling, involve in histamine H1 receptor (H1R) and IL-9 gene expressions, respectively, are responsible for the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. We explore anti-allergic compounds that suppress these signaling pathways and found that wild grape (WG) contains such compounds. Here, we investigated the effect of WG hot water extract (WGE) on the signaling pathways for PKCδ-mediated H1R and NFAT-mediated IL-9 gene expressions. WGE suppressed histamine/PMA-induced H1R gene up-regulation in HeLa cells. Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI)-induced H1R mRNA elevation in TDI-sensitized rats was also suppressed by WGE treatment. Treatment with WGE in combination with Awa-tea, suppresses NFAT signaling-mediated IL-9 gene, markedly alleviated nasal symptoms. Furthermore, WGE suppressed PMA-induced IL-33 gene up-regulation in Swiss 3T3 cells. Data suggest that combination of WGE, suppresses PKCδ signaling with Awa-tea, suppresses NFAT signaling would have distinct clinical and therapeutic advantages as a substitute for anti-allergic drugs. In addition, as the expression level of IL-33 mRNA was correlated with the blood eosinophils number in patients with pollinosis, WG could alleviate eosinophilic inflammation through the suppression of IL-33 gene expression. J. Med. Invest. 65:242-250, August, 2018.

Is Ayahuasca an Option for the Treatment of Crack Cocaine Dependence?

The low efficacy of crack cocaine addiction treatment available in Brazil has led Brazilian users to find alternatives to reduce drug consumption or even to reach abstinence. One of them is the use of entheogenic substances, like ayahuasca, an infusion obtained from two native plant species from the Amazon. The present report aimed to understand how crack cocaine users recover from drug addiction by consuming ayahuasca tea in a religious context. This is a qualitative study with a purposeful sample of 40 crack cocaine users, based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Participants reported that ayahuasca allowed them to access a consciousness dimension which enabled them to solve problems and traumas and reduce crack cocaine consumption. The religious ceremony increased the user's spirituality and the reception from the community gave them a sense of self-esteem, strengthening them in an emotional and social way. That positive experience has been incorporated into the daily routine of most participants. Findings indicate that ayahuasca, in a religious context, may have therapeutic value for crack cocaine dependence treatment.

Ilex latifolia Thunb protects mice from HFD-induced body weight gain.

Kuding tea is implicated in alleviating metabolic disorders in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the role of Ilex latifolia Thunb (kuding tea), one of the large leaf kuding tea species, in the prevention of the development of obesity remains to be determined. We show here that 7-week-old male mice treated with an Ilex latifolia Thunb supplement for 14 weeks were resistant to HFD-induced body weight gain and hepatic steatosis, accompanied by improved insulin sensitivity. Ilex latifolia Thunb supplementation dramatically reduced the systemic and tissue inflammation levels of mice via reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in the circulation and inhibiting p38 MAPK and p65 NF-κB signaling in adipose tissue. Together, these results indicate that Ilex latifolia Thunb protects mice from the development of obesity and is a potential compound pool for the development of novel anti-obesity drugs.

Antioxidant effect of aqueous extract of four plants with therapeutic potential on gynecological diseases; Semen persicae, Leonurus cardiaca, Hedyotis diffusa, and Curcuma zedoaria.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available concerning antioxidant effects of plant teas (water boiled) which are used more commonly in traditional Chinese medicine than other extracts. Thus, we addressed this issue by evaluating the ability of teas from four different plants with therapeutic potential on gynecological diseases. METHODS: The aqueous extracts of Semen persicae, Leonurus cardiaca, Hedyotis diffusa, and Curcuma zedoaria rhizome were prepared and then their effects on copper-induced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) oxidation were evaluated by spectrophotometric method. Density gradient ultracentrifugation method was recruited to isolate LDL-C from healthy individuals. RESULTS: Our results showed that adding 10, 20, and 30 µl S. persicae could increase the lag phase duration of LDL-C oxidation compared with control reaction 12, 21, and 33%, respectively. The most effective delay (87%) was observed when 30 µl H. diffusa was added to the reaction. In cases of L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria, we found no significant influence on the lag phase duration (p > 0.05). Moreover, our findings about starting point of the decomposition phase were almost in parallel with the lag phase results, as 30 µl of S. persicae or H. diffusa teas could significantly increase the initiation time of decomposition (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion our results showed that both S. persicae and H. diffusa teas and not L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria could have medicinal therapeutic effects partly through direct oxidation prevention.

Short-term green tea supplementation prevents recognition memory deficits and ameliorates hippocampal oxidative stress induced by different stroke models in rats.

This study investigated the effect of green tea (GT) on short and long term declarative memory and oxidative damage induced by transient ischemia-reperfusion (IR) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups of 10 according the stroke type induced: Sham IR, Sham IR+GT, IR, IR+GT, Sham ICH, Sham ICH+GT, ICH, ICH+GT. Supplementation with GT was initiated 10days before stroke surgery and continuous for 6days after (GT dose 400mg/kg). Short (STM) and long term memory (LTM) we evaluated with object recognition task (OR) and hippocampus were used to evaluate parameters related to oxidative stress (ROS, lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity). The rats subjected to IR and ICH showed STM and LTM deficits and GT intervention prevented it in both stroke models. IR and ICH induced increase on ROS levels in hippocampus. ICH increased the lipid peroxidation in hippocampus and the GT supplementation avoided it. IR induced decrease on total antioxidant capacity and GT prevented it. These results reveal that GT supplementation presents a neuroprotective role, attenuates redox imbalance and might have a beneficial impact on cognitive function after stroke.

Alternative products to treat allergic rhinitis and alternative routes for allergy immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Some alternative products instead of immunotherapy are used in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: In this paper, alternative products to treat allergic rhinitis and alternative routes for allergy immunotherapy are reviewed. RESULTS: Alternative products and methods used instead of immunotherapy are tea therapy, acupuncture, Nigella sativa, cinnamon bark, Spanish needle, acerola, capsaicin (Capsicum annum), allergen-absorbing ointment, and cellulose powder. N. sativa has been used in AR treatment due to its anti-inflammatory effects. N. sativa oil also inhibits the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. The beneficial effects of N. sativa seed supplementation on the symptoms of AR may be due to its antihistaminic properties. To improve the efficacy of immunotherapy, some measures are taken regarding known immunotherapy applications and alternative routes of intralymphatic immunotherapy and epicutaneous immunotherapy are used. CONCLUSION: There are alternative routes and products to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Reduction of body fat and improved lipid profile associated with daily consumption of a Puer tea extract in a hyperlipidemic population: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The goal for this study was to evaluate the effects of daily consumption of Puer tea extract (PTE) on body weight, body-fat composition, and lipid profile in a non-Asian population in the absence of dietary restrictions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study design was used. A total of 59 overweight or mildly obese subjects were enrolled upon screening to confirm fasting cholesterol level at or above 220 mg/dL (5.7 mmol/dL). After giving informed consent, subjects were randomized to consume PTE (3 g/day) or placebo for 20 weeks. At baseline and at 4-week intervals, blood lipids, C-reactive protein, and fasting blood glucose were evaluated. A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan was performed at baseline and at study exit to evaluate changes to body composition. Appetite and physical and mental energy were scored at each visit using visual analog scales (0-100). RESULTS: Consumption of PTE was associated with statistically significant weight loss when compared to placebo (P<0.05). Fat loss was seen for arms, legs, and the gynoid region (hip/belly), as well as for total fat mass. The fat reduction reached significance on within-group analysis, but did not reach between-group significance. Consumption of PTE was associated with improvements to lipid profile, including a mild reduction in cholesterol and the cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein ratio after only 4 weeks, as well as a reduction in triglycerides and very small-density lipoproteins, where average blood levels reached normal range at 8 weeks and remained within normal range for the duration of the study (P<0.08). No significant changes between the PTE group and the placebo group were seen for fasting glucose or C-reactive protein. A transient reduction in appetite was seen in the PTE group when compared to placebo (P<0.1). CONCLUSION: The results from this clinical study showed that the daily consumption of PTE was associated with significant weight loss, reduced body mass index, and an improved lipid profile.