Efficacy of Ginger, Cardamom, Purslane, Saffron and Cinnamon Consumption on Lipid Profile, Glycemic Control, Blood Pressure and Markers of Anthropometric and Inflammation in Metabolic Syndrome Patients: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Background:: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), also known as syndrome X or insulin resistance, is a complex disorder characterized by multiple risk factors. It is caused by insulin resistance, which is accompanied by abnormal accumulation and dysfunction of adipose tissue. Introduction:: Recently, several studies have evaluated the efficacy of herbs on MetS. The purpose of this meta-analysis is the comprehensive assessment of the impact of cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, purslane and ginger on the parameters of MetS in patients with MetS. Methods:: A systematic search was performed based on the English language reports of literature from databases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science and 29 RCT (randomized clinical trial) studies were included in the meta-analysis. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO. Results:: The results showed significant beneficial effects of cardamom on Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and waist circumference (WC), cinnamon on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and weight, ginger on fasting blood sugar (FBS), Hemoglobin A1c HbA1c and HOMA-IR and purslane on triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), body mass index (BMI) and FBS compared to the placebo; thus, they can be useful in the management of patients with MetS. Conclusion:: It is suggested that more RCT studies should be performed on the factors affecting the efficacy of these plants on the parameters of the MetS.