KIU Publications

Phytochemicals with anti-obesity potential modulate adipogenesis, lipolysis, and thermogenesis through pleiotropic effects on transcriptional networks, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory signaling. However, their clinical impact is frequently limited by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, extensive first-pass metabolism, efflux transport, and inconsistent tissue exposure. Phytochemical nanoformulations offer a translational strategy to overcome these barriers by improving dissolution, protecting labile structures, enhancing intestinal absorption or gut-local exposure, and reshaping biodistribution toward metabolically relevant tissues. Lipid-based systems, polymeric nanoparticles, biopolymer matrices, micelles, and nanocrystals can stabilize phytochemical delivery and support sustained or region-specific release, thereby aligning exposure with metabolic endpoints such as suppression of adipocyte differentiation, enhanced fatty acid mobilization, and induction of browning and mitochondrial thermogenesis. Beyond bioavailability, nanoformulations enable codelivery of complementary phytochemicals and potentially amplify pathway-level effects at lower doses. Yet obesity is a chronic-use indication; thus, long-term safety, manufacturing scalability, reproducible characterization, and clear PK–PD linkage are mandatory. This review synthesizes mechanistic targets across adipogenesis, lipolysis, and thermogenesis and evaluates how nanoformulation design can optimize phytochemical engagement of these pathways while addressing translational constraints.