Prakt. Lékáren. 2019; 15(1e): e54-e59 | DOI: 10.36290/lek.2019.027

Konjac – active compounds and therapeutic effects

Zdeňka Navrátilová
Katedra botaniky, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Univerzita Karlova v Praze

Voodoo lilies (Amorphophallus spp.) are imposing herbs belonging to aroid family (Araceae). Some species are used in traditional Chinese
medicine for thousands of years, one of them is Amorphophallus konjac. Konjac tubers are used for treatment of many illnesses and also for
food purposes. Its therapeutic effects are discovered by Western medicine now; some of them were confirmed in clinical trials. Glucomannan
isolated from konjac tubers has hypolidipidemic, laxative, anti-obesity, and antidiabetic properties and can be used as dietary supplement
such as food component.

Keywords: voodoo lily, Amorphophallus konjac, konjac glucomannan, obesity, antidiabetic,hypolipidemic, and laxative effects

Published: March 15, 2019  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Navrátilová Z. Konjac – active compounds and therapeutic effects. Praktické lékárenství. 2019;15(E-verze 1/19):e54-59. doi: 10.36290/lek.2019.027.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Haager JR, Rybková R. Pokojové rostliny - Ottův atlas. Ottovo nakladatelství Praha 2011. 401 p.
    2. Chua M, Baldwin TC, Hocking TJ, Chan K. Traditional uses and potential health benefits of Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch ex N. E. Br. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010; 128(2): 268-278. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Behera SS, Ray RC. Konjac glucomannan, a promising polysaccharide of Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch in health care. Int J Biol Macromol. 2016; 92: 942-956. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Kite GC, Hetterscheid WLA. Phylogenetic trends in the evolution of inflorescence odours in Amorphophallus. Phytochemistry. 2017; 142: 126-142. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Tester RF, Al-Ghazzewi FH. Beneficial health characteristics of native and hydrolysed konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) glucomannan. J Sci Food Agric. 2016; 96(10): 3283-3291. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Chen X, Yuan LQ, Li LJ, Lv Y, Chen PF, Pan L. Suppression of gastric cancer by extract from the tuber of Amorphophallus konjac via induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Oncol Rep. 2017; 38(2): 1051-1058. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Chen HL, Sheu WH, Tai TS, Liaw YP, Chen YC. Konjac supplement alleviated hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic subjects - a randomized double-blind trial. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003; 22(1): 36-42. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Sawai S, Mokhtar MS, Safwani WKZW, Ramasamy TS. Suppression of the viability and proliferation of HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line by konjac glucomannan. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2018. doi: 10.2174/1871520618666180307143229. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Onishi N, Kawamoto S, Nishimura M, Nakano T, Aki T, Shigeta S, Shimizu H, Hashimoto K, Ono K. A new immunomodulatory function of low-viscous konjac glucomannan with a small particle size: its oral intake suppresses spontaneously occurring dermatitis in NC/Nga mice. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2005; 136(3): 258-265. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Walsh DE, Yaghoubian V, Behforooz A. Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study. Int J Obes. 1984; 8(4): 289-293.
    11. Keithley J, Swanson B. Glucomannan and obesity: a critical review. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005; 11(6): 30-34.
    12. Zhang MY, Huang CY, Wang X, Hong JR, Peng SS. The effect of foods containing refined Konjac meal on human lipid metabolism. Biomed Environ Sci. 1990; 3(1): 99-105.
    13. Arvill A, Bodin L. Effect of short-term ingestion of konjac glucomannan on serum cholesterol in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995; 61(3): 585-589. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Vuksan V, Jenkins DJ, Spadafora P, Sievenpiper JL, Owen R, Vidgen E, Brighenti F, Josse R, Leiter LA, Bruce-Thompson C. Konjac-mannan (glucomannan) improves glycemia and other associated risk factors for coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes. A randomized controlled metabolic trial. Diabetes Care. 1999; 22(6): 913-919. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Vuksan V, Sievenpiper JL, Owen R, Swilley JA, Spadafora P, Jenkins DJ, Vidgen E, Brighenti F, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Xu Z, Novokmet R. Beneficial effects of viscous dietary fiber from Konjac-mannan in subjects with the insulin resistance syndrome: results of a controlled metabolic trial. Diabetes Care. 2000; 23(1): 9-14. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Chen HL, Cheng HC, Wu WT, Liu YJ, Liu SY. Supplementation of konjac glucomannan into a low-fiber Chinese diet promoted bowel movement and improved colonic ecology in constipated adults: a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial. J Am Coll Nutr. 2008; 27(1): 102-108. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Loening-Baucke V, Miele E, Staiano A. Fiber (glucomannan) is beneficial in the treatment of childhood constipation. Pediatrics. 2004; 113(3): e259-264. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Salas-Salvadó J, Farrés X, Luque X, Narejos S, Borrell M, Basora J, Anguera A, Torres F, Bulló M, Balanza R; Fiber in obesity-study group. Effect of two doses of a mixture of soluble fibres on body weight and metabolic variables in overweight or obese patients: a randomised trial. Br J Nutr. 2008; 99(6): 1380-1387. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Sood N, Baker WL, Coleman CI. Effect of glucomannan on plasma lipid and glucose concentrations, body weight, and blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008; 88(4): 1167-1175. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Onakpoya I, Posadzki P, Ernst E. The efficacy of glucomannan supplementation in overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. J Am Coll Nutr. 2014; 33(1): 70-78. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Re-evaluation of konjac gum (E 425 i) and konjac glucomannan (E 425 ii) as food additives. EFSA Journal. 2017; 15(6): 4864. Go to original source...

    Return to the content


    Pharmacy for Practice

    Madam, Sir,
    please be aware that the website on which you intend to enter, not the general public because it contains technical information about medicines, including advertisements relating to medicinal products. This information and communication professionals are solely under §2 of the Act n.40/1995 Coll. Is active persons authorized to prescribe or supply (hereinafter expert).
    Take note that if you are not an expert, you run the risk of danger to their health or the health of other persons, if you the obtained information improperly understood or interpreted, and especially advertising which may be part of this site, or whether you used it for self-diagnosis or medical treatment, whether in relation to each other in person or in relation to others.

    I declare:

    1. that I have met the above instruction
    2. I'm an expert within the meaning of the Act n.40/1995 Coll. the regulation of advertising, as amended, and I am aware of the risks that would be a person other than the expert input to these sites exhibited

    No
    Yes

    If your statement is not true, please be aware
    that brings the risk of danger to their health or the health of others.