Effect of Aqueous Extracts of Cissus Quadrangularis and Dichrostachys Glomerata on GLP-1 Concentration and DPP-4 Activity in Overweight and Obese Adults

May 11, 2026 updated by: Pr. Julius Oben, University of Yaounde 1

Cissus Quadrangularis (CQR-300®) and Dichrostachys Glomerata (Dyglomera®) Extracts Increase GLP-1 Levels and Inhibit Dipeptidyl Phosphate-4 Activity in Healthy Overweight and Obese Adults

Obesity is a global health crisis affecting over 2.3 billion individuals worldwide. This prospective study aims to evaluate the comparative effects of standardised Cissus quadrangularis extract (CQE) and Dichrostachys glomerata extract (DGE) on obesity-related parameters, focusing on their impact on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme activity in obese subjects. Parameters such as GLP-1 levels, DPP-4 activity, food intake, satiety, body weight, blood lipids, fasting blood glucose, and visceral fat mass will be measured at baseline and various intervals.

In our previous pre-clinical trial involving 18 adult male Wistar rats (150-200 g), randomly divided into three groups: a control group fed a normal diet, and two treatment groups receiving DGE (400 mg/kg) or CQE (300 mg/kg) alongside a normal diet, the results demonstrated that both DGE and CQE significantly increased GLP-1 levels and inhibited DPP-4 activity compared to the control group. These effects were associated with reduced food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose levels. Additionally, both extracts positively modified blood lipid profiles, with significant changes in HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels. The findings suggest that DGE and CQE exert their anti-obesity effects through mechanisms involving GLP-1 enhancement and DPP-4 inhibition, offering potential therapeutic pathways for weight management and metabolic health.

This prospective study aims to provide clinical evidence supporting the use of these plant extracts in addressing obesity and its related complications.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Obesity is a health burden affecting over 2.3 billion people of all ages globally. The development and progression of obesity involve a complex pathogenesis, and several drugs have been developed to target these pathways. In recent years, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors or gliptins, such as sitagliptin, saxagliptin, and vildagliptin, have been considered as a viable obesity management option. Gliptins inhibit DPP-4, an enzyme known to deactivate the GLP-1 hormone, contributing to the development and progression of obesity and other metabolic diseases. GLP-1 is one of the important incretin hormones secreted in the L-cells of the gut for the maintenance of blood sugar homeostasis. It exhibits other pleiotropic effects through its receptors in the liver, brain, and stomach to delay gastric emptying, reduce appetite, and induce significant weight loss. In healthy individuals, GLP-1 has a half-life of >2 minutes due to the activities of DPP-4 . Some studies have observed higher DPP-4 levels in obese individuals, further reducing the incretin effects of GLP-1. Gliptins are primarily invented to manage type 2 diabetes. However, their weight loss effects are quite significant, presenting as a potent management option for obesity.

Synthetically produced drugs are often associated with side effects and contraindications. For conditions such as obesity, patients often require unique management options due to sensitivity and the high likelihood of comorbidities. For instance, obese individuals are more vulnerable to pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, whereas gliptins are associated with a high incidence of acute pancreatitis. Gliptins also present other side effects such as upper respiratory infections, headache, urinary tract infections, arthralgia, and in severe cases, Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Cost-wise, gliptins are considerably expensive. The current FDA-approved gliptins are intended for the management of diabetes. Prescribing them for obesity may lead to higher demand and prices as well as scarcity. Hence, there is a need for a wider range of safe, cost-effective, and potent alternatives.

Natural products continue to emerge as potential drug leads for several metabolic disease conditions due to their potency and low toxicity. DGE (Dichrostachys glomerata), a popular Cameroonian spice, and CQE (Cissus quadrangularis), an ornamental and medicinal plant growing in Africa and Asia, have shown tremendous effects on weight loss. A recent study showed that DGE induced 22.85% weight loss in 60 subjects in 12 weeks. In a double-blind placebo-controlled study involving 35 subjects, CQE reduced body fat by 12.8% in 8 weeks. The mechanism of these two extracts is not fully understood. It has been proposed that DGE and CQE are anorectic. Some studies suggested that DGE and CQE reduced food intake through increased adiponectin secretion and the AMPK pathway.

Additionally, CQE was shown to boost serotonin levels. Serotonin has received much attention in weight loss research in the past. It has been implicated for its appetite-suppressing effect on the arcuate nucleus hypothalamus, a region responsible for food intake and energy expenditure.

Up to the present, no study has investigated the effect of DGE or CQE on GLP-1 or DPP-4 levels. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy of DGE and CQE as potent alternatives to gliptins in obesity management.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

248

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Cameroon
    • Centre Region
      • Yaoundé, Centre Region, Cameroon, 00237
        • University of Yaounde 1

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy males and non-pregnant/non-lactating females
  • Participants aged 18 to 65 years old
  • Participants with BMI between 25 and 34 kg/m²
  • Participants willing to comply with the study protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants younger than 18 years or older than 65 years
  • Participants not available for the study period
  • Morbid obesity (BMI > 34.9 kg/m²)
  • Diabetes mellitus requiring daily insulin management
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Active infection
  • Systemic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, Active hepatitis, Clinical signs of active malignancy within the past 5 years
  • Use of any medication or natural health product that might affect the parameters of interest in this study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Group
62 participants aged 18-65 with a BMI between 25 - 34 kg/m 2 randomly assigned to the placebo group will be administered a 400 mg dextrin capsule daily for 16 weeks. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle and dietary habits and to report any delays in taking the capsules.
Drug: Dextrin
Placebo capsules containing 400 mg of dextrin, looking identical to DGE and CQE were also procured from Gateway Health Alliances, Fairfield, California, USA.
Other Names:
  • Placebo group
Experimental: Dichrostachys glomerata Extract (DGE) Group
62 participants aged 18-65 with a BMI between 25 - 34 kg/m 2 randomly assigned to the DGE group will be administered 400mg DGE capsule daily for 16 weeks. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle and dietary habits and to report any delays in taking the capsules.
Drug: Dichrostachys glomerata
DGE were procured from Gateway Health Alliances, Fairfield in 400 mg and 300 mg capsules.
Other Names:
  • Dyglomera®
  • DGE
Experimental: Cissus quadrangularia Extract (CQE) Group
62 participants aged 18-65 with a BMI between 25 - 30 kg/m 2 randomly assigned to the CQE group will be administered 300mg CQE capsule daily for 16 weeks. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle and dietary habits and to report any delays in taking the capsules.
Drug: Cissus quadrangularia
CQR-300® were procured from Gateway Health Alliances, Fairfield in 400 mg and 300 mg capsules.
Other Names:
  • CQR-300®
  • CQE
Active Comparator: Semaglutide Group
62 participants aged 18-65 with a BMI between 25 - 34 kg/m 2 randomly assigned to the semaglutide group will be administered a repackaged Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus®) capsule daily (4-week dose escalation from 3 (week 0-4) to 7 (week 4-8) to 14mg (week 8-16)). Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle and dietary habits and to report any delays in taking the capsules.
Drug: Semaglutide (Rybelsus®)
Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus®) was purchased and then repackaged into capsules looking identical to DGE, CQE and placebo capsules.
Other Names:
  • semaglutide

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants GLP-1 level
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Description: GLP-1 levels will be determined in pg/mL using the RayBio® GLP-1 ELISA kit.
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants DPP4 activity
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

DPP-4 activity will be measured using Cayman's DPP-4 inhibitor screening assay kit according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Unit of Measure: % Activity Remaining

This will be determined using the calculation below:

% activity remaining = (slope of test sample/positive control slope) × 100.
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants' energy Intake
Time Frame: Week 16

Participants will maintain a food diary for seven consecutive days (the last week of each study period), recording all foods, drinks, and snacks consumed. Food intake will be recorded in household measurements and converted into grams using manufacturer labels where applicable. Nutrient intake (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) will then be quantified in grams using the FAO food composition table for Cameroon.

Energy intake will be calculated as follows:

EI (Kcal/day) = ECarb + ELip + EProt

where: ECarb(Kcal/day)=Amount of carb ingested (g) x 4 Kcal/7 Eprot (Kcal/day)=Amount of carb/prot ingested (g) x 4 Kcal/7 ELip (Kcal/day)=Amount of lipid ingested (g) x 9 Kcal/7

Considering that: 1 g carbohydrate or protein = 4 Kcal and 1 g lipid = 9 kcal
Week 16
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants Fasting blood glucose
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

Glucose levels will be measured in blood samples taken from each participant after a 12-hour fast at Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16 using the glucose oxidase-peroxidase enzymatic method with a OneTouch Ultra 2 glucometer.

Unit of measure: mg/dL
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants BMI
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

BMI will then be calculated as follows:

BMI (kg/m²)=Weight in Kg/Height in meter²
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Effect of DGEand CQE on participants Body weight
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Body weight will be measured in Kg using a TANITA brand scale at Visits (baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16)
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants Body Fat percentage
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
The body fat percentage (%) was measured using an impedance meter at baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16
Effect of DGE and CQE on participants Lipid Profile
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

Blood lipid levels (cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL-c) will be measured in blood samples taken from each participant after a 12-hour fast at baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16 using ChronoLab commercial kits according to the protocol of the manufacturers. LDL-c will be assessed using the Friedewald et al. formula.

LDL-c = Plasma-c - HDL-c - Total Plasma triglyceride/5 Unit of measure: mg/dL
Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12 and Week 16

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Yaounde 1

Collaborators

J & A Oben Foundation

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Julius E Oben, PhD, University of Yaounde 1

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 29, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 23, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 29, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 12, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

February 14, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 11, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • JAOFCissusDyglo
  • JAOF122025 (Other Grant/Funding Number: J & A Oben Foundation)
  • N°2014/08/488/CE/CNERSH/SP (Other Identifier: National Ethics Committee of Cameroon)
  • BTC-JIRB2023-084 (Other Identifier: University of Yaounde I IRB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

  • Metabolic parameters (Blood sugar, Blood lipid),
  • Anthroprmetric measures (height, weight, BMI and body fat percentage)
  • DPP-4 and GLP-1 levels data collected through out the study

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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