OLTA ALLKANJARI

PhD Graduate

PhD program:: XXXIV



Thesis title: A descriptive study of commercial herbal dietary supplements used for dyslipidaemia and body weight loss

Dyslipidemia and overweight/obesity are two common risk factors of the metabolic syndrome leading to cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. The management of cardiometabolic risk factors with herbal dietary supplements (HDS) has become frequent though they don't claim therapeutic effects. So far, many spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions (ARs) collected from the Italian Phytovigilance System, concern herbal preparations used in dyslipidemia and body weight loss. Accordingly, the Italian Ministry of Health has paid attention to HDS containing red yeast rice, curcuma, garcinia, etc. A maximum daily intake and/or special warnings have been established for the respective labels. The purpose of this research was to provide an overview of the number and characteristics of HDS used in dyslipidemia and body weight loss through a preliminary study of pharmacies sales data. Hence, sales of dietary supplements were monitored from October 2018 to September 2020, in two pharmacies of Rome. Reports of suspected ARs potentially related to the use of dyslipidemia-HDS collected in the interim by the Phytovigilance System were described. Moreover, a survey was addressed to the pharmacies of the Lazio region in order to understand pharmacists’ awareness about Phytovigilance. Our findings point out the limited compliance between commercial dyslipidaemia-/body weight loss-HDS and scientific research of their intrinsic safety. In specific, (i) the variety of formulations mostly multi-ingredient without a rationale of use, (ii) the wide range of plant species not strictly claimed for the management of dyslipidaemia and/or body weight loss, (iii) variable standardisation and/or incomplete label’s information of botanicals, (iv) low adherence to report suspected ARs, highlight safety-profile uncertainties of dyslipidaemia-HDS and body weight loss-HDS. As reproducibility of their pharmacological activities is not supported, safety cannot be assured. Future efforts involving sales data of all territorial pharmacies and promotion of Phytovigilance are required. This study could contribute to optimise consumers guidance in order to protect their health.

Research products

11573/1687958 - 2023 - Safety of herbal dietary supplements used for weight loss: sales data and phytovigilance awareness
Allkanjari, Olta; Annetta, Antonino; Di Sotto, Antonella; Vitalone, Annabella - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: NUTRIRE ([Cham]: [Springer Nature Switzerland AG] São Paulo SP: Sociedade Brasileira de Alimentação e Nutrição) pp. - - issn: 2316-7874 - wos: (0) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85165549871 (1)

11573/1631722 - 2022 - A descriptive study of commercial herbal dietary supplements used for dyslipidemia—Sales data and suspected adverse reactions
Allkanjari, Olta; Menniti-Ippolito, Francesca; Ippoliti, Ilaria; Di Giacomo, Silvia; Piccioni, Tito; Vitalone, Annabella - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH (New York : J. Wiley) pp. 1-22 - issn: 1099-1573 - wos: WOS:000791746900001 (3) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85129371013 (3)

11573/1541501 - 2021 - The safety concern of plant‐based supplements: A public health topic
Allkanjari, Olta - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT (John Wiley & Sons Limited:1 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, P022 9SA United Kingdom:011 44 1243 779777, EMAIL: cs-journals@wiley.co.uk, INTERNET: http://www.wiley.co.uk, Fax: 011 44 1243 843232) pp. 1370-1372 - issn: 0749-6753 - wos: WOS:000642316300001 (2) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85104581528 (3)

11573/1518161 - 2021 - The use of herbal products during pregnancy: which is the risk perception?
Vitalone, Annabella; Allkanjari, Olta; Durazzi, Federico; Guizzetti, Marina; Aleandri, Vincenzo - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYTOMEDICINE AND CLINICAL THERAPEUTICS (Bhopal: Tiba Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.) pp. 1-8 - issn: 2321-2748 - wos: (0) - scopus: (0)

11573/1390918 - 2019 - Herbal dietary supplements used in weight control and dyslipidemia: preliminary study of pharmacies data sales.
Allkanjari, O.; Di Giacomo, S.; Mazzanti, G.; Menniti-Ippolito, F.; Piccioni, T.; Vitalone, A. - 04f Poster
conference: 39° Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Farmacologia (SIF). (Firenze,)
book: 39° Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Farmacologia - Program - ()

11573/1339296 - 2019 - Nutraceutical treatment and prevention of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer
Cicero, A. F. G.; Allkanjari, O.; Vitalone, A.; Busetto, G. M.; Cai, T.; Largana, G.; Russo, G. I.; Magri, V.; Perletti, G.; Della Cuna, F. S. R.; Stamatiou, K.; Trinchieri, A. - 01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
paper: ARCHIVIO ITALIANO DI UROLOGIA ANDROLOGIA (Masson SPA:via Flli Bressan 2, I 20126 Milan Italy:011 39 02 27074286, EMAIL: aboonamenti@masson.it, INTERNET: http://www.masson.it, Fax: 011 39 02 27074210) pp. 139-152 - issn: 1124-3562 - wos: WOS:000542947000001 (68) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85072847425 (78)

11573/1313822 - 2019 - Studi preclinici su piante medicinali utilizzate nel trattamento delle patologie prostatiche
Vitalone, Annabella; Allkanjari, Olta - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: ARCHIVIO ITALIANO DI UROLOGIA ANDROLOGIA (Masson SPA:via Flli Bressan 2, I 20126 Milan Italy:011 39 02 27074286, EMAIL: aboonamenti@masson.it, INTERNET: http://www.masson.it, Fax: 011 39 02 27074210) pp. 3-8 - issn: 1124-3562 - wos: (0) - scopus: (0)

11573/1075436 - 2018 - Epilobium spp: pharmacology and phytochemistry
Vitalone, A.; Allkanjari, Olta - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH (John Wiley & Sons Limited:1 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, P022 9SA United Kingdom:011 44 1243 779777, EMAIL: cs-journals@wiley.co.uk, INTERNET: http://www.wiley.co.uk, Fax: 011 44 1243 843232) pp. 1-12 - issn: 0951-418X - wos: WOS:000437294600005 (24) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85044378642 (34)

11573/780926 - 2015 - What do we know about phytotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia?
Allkanjari, Olta; Vitalone, Annabella - 01a Articolo in rivista
paper: LIFE SCIENCES (Elsevier Science Limited:Oxford Fulfillment Center, PO Box 800, Kidlington Oxford OX5 1DX United Kingdom:011 44 1865 843000, 011 44 1865 843699, EMAIL: asianfo@elsevier.com, tcb@elsevier.co.UK, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.com, http://www.elsevier.com/locate/shpsa/, Fax: 011 44 1865 843010) pp. 42-56 - issn: 0024-3205 - wos: WOS:000351809700006 (59) - scopus: 2-s2.0-84924234454 (76)

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