The Emerging Potential of Zyflamend as a Caloric Restriction Mimetic

Author

Dexter PuckettFollow

Date of Award

5-2022

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Nutritional Sciences

Major Professor

Ahmed Bettaieb

Committee Members

Guoxun Chen, Jiangang Chen, Franc Barerra Oliveras

Abstract

In the modern era, humankind seeks answers on how to live longer and healthier. Obesity and its associated co-morbidities present a major hurdle in achieving this goal. Unfortunately, obesity rates continue to rise and while significant discoveries have been made, the problem persists. However, reducing adiposity and increasing skeletal muscle mass and functions could drastically reduce the risk for a myriad of diseases and promote a healthier lifespan, particularly in obese populations. In addition, research targeting caloric restriction (CR) reveals vast potential in obesity related models. CR mimetics are compounds with the potential to mimic the desirable metabolic effects of CR. CR mimetics have demonstrated the capacity to extend the life span and increase metabolic functioning in a variety of experimental models. However, the effectiveness of natural CR mimetics varies greatly and often requires doses impractical for human equivalence. Through in-depth literature analysis, we realized that a gap in the knowledge exists and it left us with these questions: “could natural alternatives effectively reduce fat mass while simultaneously increasing skeletal muscle performance, alleviating the co-morbidities of obesity”? A polyherbal blend known as Zyflamend, has been shown to effectively activate adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in numerous models. Considering that AMPK activation is a central component of CR, Zyflamend could pose significant promise as a novel CR mimetic. Understanding the potential for Zyflamend could lead to a transformative understanding of the overall scope of CR mimetics against obesity and metabolic disease. Therefore, I hypothesize that treatment with Zyflamend, will modulate AMPK signaling and lead to enhanced lipolysis in adipose tissue while simultaneously improving muscle performance. In order to test this hypothesis, we will develop a unique diet incorporated with Zyflamend utilizing human equivalent dosing to promote translation of our in vivo findings. Furthermore, we will utilize in-vitro models to uncover precisely how Zyflamend may target obesity leading to beneficial metabolic outcomes.

Recommended Citation

Puckett, Dexter, "The Emerging Potential of Zyflamend as a Caloric Restriction Mimetic. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2022.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/7102