Simmondsin for weight loss in rats.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy for weight loss of simmondsin, a dietary supplement extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant (Simmondsia chinensis).

Animals: Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed various levels of simmondsin for 8 weeks (lean rats) or 16 weeks (high fat-induced obese rats).

Measurements: Food intake, body weight and composition, histopathology, hematology parameters.

Results: Simmondsin produced a clear dose-response effect on food intake and body weight. No remarkable histopathologic changes were noted in the liver, kidney and spleen. One lean animal, in the 0.5% group, had approximately a 20% depression in red bone marrow cells. Significant effects on hematology parameters were seen almost exclusively in groups consuming simmondsin at the highest level (0.5%) and these effects appeared to be reversed by removing simmondsin from the diet.

Conclusion: Simmondsin at both the 0.15% level and the 0.25% level significantly reduced food intake and body weight without apparent negative effects. At dose levels much higher than therapeutic levels, there seemed to be reversible effects on circulating red and white blood cells. Future studies should determine long-term effects of lower doses on blood cell parameters.