Title: Therapeutic Effect of Fenugreek Seed in Hyperlipidemia and Cardiovascular Disease and the Establishment of Novel Therapeutic Biomarkers
Funder: Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke

Abstract: Hyperlipidemia is central in the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although CVD mortality in the UK is declining in the past decades, its prevalence shows little evidence of change and the coronary heart disease prevalence has remained constant at around 4% in Northern Ireland. This situation has posed a substantial burden to the UK health care system. Anti-hyperlipidemia drugs, such as statins, have been the corner stone for hyperlipidemia therapy. However, all medications have the potential of side effects. Therefore, seeking to develop nutritional-based therapeutic approaches for hyperlipidemia is key to reducing the prevalence of CVD and its associated metabolic diseases. A particularly attractive candidate in this respect is fenugreek seed which has been a well-accepted spice throughout the world. Fenugreek seed also possesses a number of medicinal properties in regulating human nutrient metabolism, such as hypoglycemic effect. However, the effect of fenugreek seed on human lipid metabolism remains undermined. Thus, our goal for this project is to explore the therapeutic and preventive effect of fenugreek seed on hyperlipidemia and CVD. Our central hypothesis is that phytoceuticals in fenugreek seed inhibit hepatic the novo lipid synthesis which reduces plasma lipid contents and prevents the onset of CVD (e.g., atherosclerosis). We will first investigate the lipid lowering effect of fenugreek seed on subjects with hyperlipidemia without diabetes. We will further establish circulating non-coding microRNAs (e.g, microRNA-122) as novel therapeutic biomarkers of hyperlipidemia. Both clinical and laboratory molecular research approaches will be applied to fulfill the proposed research in this project.

Lay abstract: WHAT IS THE RESEARCH ABOUT?Fenugreek is a herb used in cooking, and has a long history of use in medicine in India and China. In recent years, researchers have begun studying its health promoting properties. We have awarded £98,000 to researchers in Queen’s, led by Dr Qiaozhu Su, to study whether Fenugreek seed could be used in the treatment of Hyperlipidemia (high levels of lipids (fat), like cholesterol, in the blood) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Drugs, such as statins, have been used for treating high blood lipids, but these can have side effects. The researchers hope to find a treatment for Hyperlipidemia that is nutrition based, and have focused on Fenugreek seed. The researchers think that the naturally occurring chemicals in the seed can prevent lipids being produced in the liver and this would decrease the amount of lipids then in the blood stream. This in turn would reduce the risk of CVD. So, they want to investigate whether fenugreek seeds can be used as a treatment with people with high blood lipids and CVD. The researchers believe that patients will be benefit from an 8-week fenugreek seed treatment. They also will study whether small RNAs associated with hyperlipidaemia in the blood stream and liver are affected by fenugreek. This way, these RNAs could be used as therapeutic biomarkers. HOW WILL THE RESEARCHERS DO THIS? They will investigate the lipid lowering effect of fenugreek seed on patients with high blood lipids. They will involve 132 patients, separated into two groups. One will take fenugreek seeds for 8 weeks, the other take a placebo (this means they are taking a supplement but with no fenugreek). The researchers will collect blood samples at the beginning of the study, and at weeks 4 and 8. They will test these in the lab to see what effect fenugreek has, and whether small RNAs can be used as biomarkers. WHAT’S THE LIKELY IMPACT? This is the first study to test fenugreek on patients with hyperlipidaemia without diabetes in NI. We hope it will provide evidence that fenugreek seed can be used in treating hyperlipidaemia and preventing CVD. Current healthcare guidelines encourage people at high risk of or living with CVD to explore all options including diet. Because fenugreek seed has been used as a spice for thousands of years, we know it is safe to include it in the diet or as a supplement. It will also avoid the adverse side effects caused by drugs. A nutrition based treatment will also be more cost-effective than providing drugs like statins. This will reduce the financial burden for the health care system in NI. Successfully treating Hyperlipidemia will also reduce the numbers living with CVD. In a long run, patients’ life quality will also be improved.

Research activity codes: 6.1 PHARMACEUTICALS
Health categories: CARDIOVASCULAR