The effects of aqueous extract of Cichorium Intybus L on non-aloholic fatty liver disease

Determination of the Effect of Chicory Extract on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver

In this study, 60 eligible non-alcoholic fatty liver participants who are referred to the Gastroenterology Clinic of Velayat Hospital, Qazvin are selected.The participants are then randomly assigned to intervention and control groups and each person is assigned a code and will receive an intervention (Chicory or placebo) based on the group.

This study was designed with the aim of helping to treatment patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. In this study, 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver referred to the Gastroenterology Clinic of Velayat hospital, Qazvin province will study based on the criteria for entry. For all participants, a biochemical test (fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase) will be performed in a specific laboratory at the beginning of the study. Meanwhile, liver and bile duct ultrasonography will be performed to determine the degree of fatty liver in a radiological center under the supervision of a specific radiologist. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height and waist circumference will be measured. Participants are then randomly assigned to either a case or control group, and will receive chicory capsules (case group) or placebo (control group) for 12 weeks. Biochemistry tests and other measurements will be repeated 6 weeks after the intervention and at the end of 12 weeks. The liver and bile duct ultrasonography will again performed at the end of 12 weeks. Finally, using statistical analysis, we will investigate the effect of chicory extract on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Samples will be selected from people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease of both genders and aged 18 to 65 years. If there are other causes of liver disease, pregnancy, lactation, malignancy, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, taking hepatotoxic drugs or drugs using for NAFLD management, the person will be excluded from the study.

The study include 30 non-alcoholic fatty liver patients in the case group that will receive two 500 mg capsules of chicory extract per day, for 12 weeks. Also, 30 non-alcoholic fatty liver patients will be in the control group receiving 2 capsules of 500 mg per day for 12 weeks in the same way as the case group and containing starch as a placebo.

grade of fatty liver disease; serum aminotransferases levels; fasting plasma glucose ; lipid profile

Eligible participants in the study will randomly assign to two intervention and control groups. A randomized, stratified sampling method will use to control the confounding factors (age and gender) and the samples will first divide into two sex groups (male and female) and then will categorize again in each group based on age (less than 35 years and more than 35 years). Finally, the samples in each class will be randomly assigned to intervention or control groups.

Each participant is randomly assigned a colored card (green for the case and blue for the control group). Participants are informed that they may be in either case and control group and finally, members of the control group will receive Chicory if they want it. Principle investigator does not know the meaning of colored cards.