Anti-obesity effect of traditional Chinese medicine and natural products

Abstract

As obesity has become a worldwide health problem over the past three decades, more emphasis are placed on the prevention and treatment of obesity. Research in the nutrition field has recently aroused considerable interest based on the potential of traditional Chinese medicine and natural products to counteract obesity. This review focuses on the anti-obesity action usingtraditional Chinese medicine and natural products. Some present potent anti-obesity effects because of their ability to reduce blood lipid or blood glucose while others could be used for the treatment of obesity as lipase inhibitor, lipid metabolism regulators, appetite suppressants or fatty acid synthase inhibitor. Further study should be conducted in the mechanisms and active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine and natural products.