EFFECT OF PIPER LONGUM-BASED COOKIES ON LIPID PROFILES: A HUMAN INTERVENTION STUDY

Background: Hyperlipidemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by elevated lipid levels that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Its prevalence is rising due to sedentary lifestyles, higher fat intake, and obesity. Conventional pharmacological therapies often cause side effects, prompting interest in natural alternatives. Piper longum, widely recognized in traditional medicine, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic properties. The integration of this medicinal plant into food formulations represents a promising approach to improve patient compliance and provide safe, functional dietary interventions. Objective: This study aimed to develop Piper longum-based cookies and evaluate their hypolipidemic effects in patients with hyperlipidemia. Methods: A total of 60 hyperlipidemic patients, both male and female, aged 25–45 years with baseline cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL and BMI greater than 24.4 kg/m², were enrolled through non-probability sampling. Participants were divided equally into three groups: control (cookies without Piper longum), treatment group T1 (100 g cookies containing 96 g flour and 4 g Piper longum, 2–3 biscuits), and treatment group T2 (100 g cookies containing 96 g flour and 4 g Piper longum, 4–6 biscuits). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline (day 0), day 30, and day 60 to measure cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA, with p≤0.05 considered significant. Results: At day 60, total cholesterol decreased from 262.15±44.48 mg/dL to 229.60±24.79 mg/dL in T1 (p=0.001) and from 261.90±44.45 mg/dL to 189.85±6.62 mg/dL in T2 (p<0.001), while no significant change was seen in the control group (p=0.327). LDL levels fell markedly in T1 (182.05±32.06 to 118.10±23.96, p<0.001) and T2 (181.70±32.31 to 95.25±7.05, p<0.001), whereas control values remained stable (p=0.843). HDL increased significantly in both treatment groups (T1: 42.75±1.86 to 44.65±2.30, p=0.001; T2: 43.50±1.88 to 48.15±3.92, p=0.001) but not in controls (p=0.054). Triglycerides dropped from 253.55±87.42 to 179.85±79.14 mg/dL in T1 (p=0.026) and from 252.90±86.98 to 142.55±14.44 mg/dL in T2 (p<0.001), while controls showed no significant reduction (p=0.132). Conclusion: The findings confirmed that Piper longum-based cookies significantly improved lipid parameters in hyperlipidemic patients, demonstrating reductions in cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL, alongside increases in HDL. As a novel and patient-friendly dietary intervention, these cookies highlight the therapeutic potential of herbal formulations in hyperlipidemia management, though larger and longer-term trials are warranted to validate these outcomes.