Abstract

ANTIOBESITY EXTRACTS FROM NIGERIAN PLANTS: A SCOPING REVIEW

Omobhude Fidelis Aluefua*, Aminu Chika, Abdulgafar Olayiwole Jimoh, Ibrahim Malami

ABSTRACT

Background: Obesity is a disease characterized by excess adiposity that is a source of extensive morbidity and mortality due to various weight-related complications. Nigeria, which is a part of Sub-Saharan Africa, has its share of the obesity epidemic with an overall adult obesity prevalence of 7.1%. Phytomedicines are prominent alternatives to synthetic drugs in the current pharmacological approach. Hence this study aimed to review the validated antiobesity plants available to people in Nigeria. Methodology: Relevant articles were identified using electronic databases including MEDLINE (via PubMed), and Google Scholar. The following Search terms were employed: “extract OR extracts OR herbal OR polyherbal OR phytomedicine OR phytomedicinal OR phytotherapy OR plant OR plants OR herbs OR herb OR ethnomedicine OR ethnomedicinal" "obesity OR antiobesity” and their MeSH variations. The search strategy was developed to include all relevant articles on "antiobesity effects of plants on animal/invitro models” from their inception to December 2021. There was no restriction regarding language for the identified articles. Results: Forty-seven plant species with established antiobesity potentials were reported in this review. Among these plants, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Curcuma longa L, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, Momordica charantia, Vitis Vinifera, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Piper nigrum, Spirulina platensis, Morus alba L., Camellia sinensis, and Allium fistulosum are the most frequently validated for their antiobesity properties using either in vitro and/or in vivo models. Conclusion: This review can guide the potential development of antiobesity drugs from medicinal plants and their sub-products by the food, phytotherapy, and pharmaceutical industries to help treat obesity.

Keywords: Obesity, weight loss, antiobesity, extract, phytotherapy.