Herbal weight loss supplement and green tea Tied to severe Liver Damage: Study

Garcinia cambogia, either alone or with green tea is very commonly promoted for weight loss. However, sporadic cases of liver failure from Garcinia cambogia have been reported, but its role in liver injury is controversial.

A study was conducted by a group of researchers from U.S.A to examine the influence of Garcinia cambogia with and without green tea on hepatoxicity.

The researchers among 1418 patients enrolled in the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) from 2004 to 2018, included 22 cases of liver injury from Garcinia cambogia either alone (n=5) or in combination with green tea (n=16) or Ashwagandha (n=1). Control groups consisted of 57 patients with liver injury from herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) containing green tea without Garcinia cambogia and 103 patients from other herbal and dietary supplements (HDS).

The results of the study are as follows:

Patients who took Garcinia cambogia were between 17 to 54 years, with liver injury arising 13 to 223 days after the start.

One patient died, one required liver transplantation, and 91% were hospitalized.

The liver injury was hepatocellular with jaundice. Although the peak values of aminotransferases were significantly higher in the Garcinia cambogia group, the median time for improvement in total bilirubin (TB) was significantly lower compared to the control groups.

The presence of HLA-B*35:01 allele was significantly higher in the Garcinia cambogia containing herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) was 55% compared to patients due to other HDS (19%) and those with acute liver injury from conventional drugs.

Thus, the researchers concluded that the liver injury caused by Garcinia cambogia and green tea is clinically similar. And the possible association with HLA-B*35:01 allele suggests an immune-mediated mechanism of injury.

Reference:

Garcinia Cambogia, Either Alone or in Combination with Green Tea Causes Moderate to Severe Liver Injury by Vuppalanchi R et. al published in the Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.