KIU Publications

Plant-derived bioactives offer pleiotropic actions relevant to obesity and cardiometabolic risk, including modulation of appetite and gut hormone signaling, suppression of adipose inflammation, improvement of insulin sensitivity, regulation of lipid metabolism, and enhancement of antioxidant defenses. However, translation into consistent clinical benefit is frequently limited by poor solubility, chemical instability, extensive first-pass metabolism, efflux transport, and inter-individual variability driven by diet and microbiome. Nanoplatforms can address these barriers by improving dissolution and stability, enhancing mucosal residence, enabling controlled or region-specific release, and reshaping biodistribution toward metabolically relevant tissues such as liver and adipose depots. Lipid-based nanoparticles, polymeric and biopolymeric carriers, micelles, and nanocrystals have been used to stabilize and deliver polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and phytosterols with the goal of achieving more predictable exposure and stronger pathway engagement. Beyond weight loss, nanoplatform-enabled bioactives may reduce cardiometabolic risk by lowering atherogenic dyslipidemia, improving endothelial function, reducing inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and ameliorating hepatic steatosis. Yet obesity is a chronic-use indication; therefore, long-term safety, scalable manufacturing, rigorous characterization, and clear PK–PD linkage to meaningful endpoints remain decisive. This review synthesizes how plant-derived bioactives delivered via nanoplatforms can contribute to obesity management and cardiometabolic risk reduction, highlighting mechanism-aligned design strategies and translational challenges that must be addressed for clinical adoption.