KIU Publications

Green synthesis of nanoparticles using medicinal plant extracts has emerged as a bioinspired approach to generate nanomaterials with potential application in obesity and metabolic syndrome therapy. Plant phytochemicals act as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents, enabling low-cost and solvent-minimized fabrication while imparting bioactive surface coronas that may influence metabolic and inflammatory pathways. In obesity and metabolic syndrome, where adipose inflammation, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and hepatic steatosis co-exist, green-synthesized nanoparticles are being explored for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory modulation, improved glucose and lipid handling, and potential targeting of inflamed metabolic tissues. Despite expanding preclinical evidence, translation is constrained by variability in plant extract composition, inconsistent particle physicochemical attributes, limited mechanistic clarity regarding the active entity, and unresolved long-term safety questions, especially for metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles that may accumulate with chronic use. Standardized synthesis protocols, rigorous characterization, and comprehensive biodistribution and toxicology are therefore critical. This review examines the rationale for plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis, proposed mechanisms relevant to obesity and metabolic syndrome, and key translational challenges including reproducibility, regulatory expectations, and clinical trial design. A pragmatic pathway is proposed that prioritizes biodegradable or safely excretable systems, conservative dosing strategies, and evidence linking particle attributes to pharmacodynamic endpoints and clinically meaningful metabolic outcomes.