PL Thomas and Polinat have announced that a recent paper elaborating the mechanism of Xanthigen has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in January. This research supports the 2010 published peer-review clinical paper describing the role of Xanthigen in weight management (Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism 12:72-8, 2010).
 
Xanthigen is a patent-pending composition standardized to two synergistic anti-obesity compounds, fucoxanthin (from brown seaweed) and punicic acid (a unique gamma-linolenic acid from pomegranate seed oil). The 2010 published 16-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled study with non-diabetic, obese patients showed that Xanthigen lowered liver fat, body weight, and improved liver markers in volunteers with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The molecular basis of the clinical findings was further investigated in the in vitro study.
 
The January 2012 published paper is based on an in vitro study conducted by National Kaohsiung Marine University, Taiwan, in cooperation with Rutgers University, NJ. The study shows that Xanthigen may work by preventing build-up of adipose (fatty) tissue, suppressing differentiation of preadipocytes (immature fat cells) into adipocytes (mature fat cells), encouraging lipogenesis (fat synthesis) and ultimately suppressing adipogenesis (fatty tissue build-up).
 
“These results indicate that Xanthigen may suppress fatty tissue build-up through multiple mechanisms and may have further explained applications for this dietary supplement in improving liver functions and managing obesity,” said Vladimir Badmaev, MD, PhD, director of scientific and medical affairs for PL Thomas and Polinat. “One of the interesting aspects of the reported mechanism is activation of the Sirt1 gene expression (Sirt1 is sometimes referred to as ‘youth factor’) in the mature fat cells. Obesity, overweight status and aging tend to decrease Sirt-1 gene expression in the body and fat cells, whereas slimming and improving body composition upregulates Sirt1 gene expression almost in a manner that restores the body’s youthful weight and body composition.” For further information: www.polinat.com; www.plthomas.com