The Effect of Ellagic Acid Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Adiponectin Levels in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Rasoul  Samimi; Mohamadreza Rashidi  Nooshabadi; Sara  Mighani; Seyed Amir  Farzam; Hossein Khadem  Haghighian

doi:10.18502/jnfs.v11i2.21440

Rasoul Samimi Medical Microbiology Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Mohamadreza Rashidi Nooshabadi Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran;
Sara Mighani Department of Nutrition, School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Seyed Amir Farzam Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
Hossein Khadem Haghighian Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jnfs.v11i2.21440

Keywords: Ellagic acid; Inflammatory factors; Adiponectin; NAFLD.

Abstract

Background: The progression and pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are intimately connected to elevated oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory responses. With the antioxidant qualities of Ellagic acid (EA), this study aims to assay the impact of EA on inflammatory markers and adiponectin hormone in individuals with NAFLD. Methods: In a double-blind, controlled clinical trial, 44 people meeting the study criteria were randomly assigned to consume 180 mg of EA per day (EAG, n=22) or placebo (PG, n=22) over an 8-week period. Measurements of anthropometric indices, food intake, physical activity levels, inflammatory markers, and adiponectin were taken at both the beginning and conclusion of the trial. The results were evaluated with the help of SPSS software. Results. No meaningful statistical variations were noticed between the EA and placebo groups regarding anthropometric variables, dietary intake, or physical activity levels before and after the intervention (P>0.05). After receiving the supplement, the average changes of inflammatory agents, interleukin 6 (IL-6) (from 8.69±3.07 to 5.11±1.24 mg/dl, P=0.04), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (from 15.09±3.52 to 10.61±2.44 pg/ml, P=0.037), at the start and end of the study, were significantly reduced (P<0.05). In addition, a notable increase in the level of adiponectin was noted in the EAG group (P<0.05). Conclusions. In light of the outcomes, EA can be utilized as an effective therapeutic intervention to ameliorate complications derived from NAFLD.