Irvingia gabonensis (African Mango) : Innocent Magic Formula ?

The trend over the past 20 years has shown an increase in the prevalence of obesity of six to seven percent every 10 years (1). Conventional dietary and behavioral treat- ment have failed in long-term management of obesity and dietary supplements to treat obesity appeal to many patients as a magic formula who desire weight loss. One of the most commonly used dietary supplement is Irvingia gabonensis (African mango) (IG), a mango-like fruit that comes from the forest tree found in West Africa (2,3). It has been widely used by the general population to manage obesity. IG works by inhibiting adipogenesis by increasing adiponectin levels, decreas- ing leptin levels and down-regulating peroxisome prolif- erator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) which is responsible for the differentiation of adipocytes. In addition, IG has also been used to treat hypercholesterol- emia (3). Although many people have taken IG capsules, the issue of potential toxicity at the usual doses has not been reported.