Anti-obesity Impact of Natural Products Modulated by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma and CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein-Alpha via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

In an effort to investigate the critical relationship between natural products and obesity management, this narrative review was conducted to provide a comprehensive, scientific evidence-based assessment of the impact and interplay between them through the modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Obesity is universally acknowledged to be a significant danger to human wellness and frequently coincides with several comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus type II, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. Adipogenesis is a mechanism by which adipocyte precursor cells expand and differentiate into mature adipocytes. The molecular mechanisms and related factors involved in adipogenesis should be identified to serve as suitable therapeutic targets against obesity. This narrative review aims at demonstrating a scientific evidence-based source to evaluate the impact of natural products in the modulation process of adipogenic transcription elements such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha (C/EBP-α). They are contributive in various signaling pathways, with a significant influence in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which diminishes adipogenesis and consequently controls obesity. This pathway’s activation stabilizes and accumulates a protein inside the nucleus called β-catenin, leading to suppression of transcription elements involved in adipogenesis especially C/EBP-α and PPAR-γ, preventing adipocyte differentiation and thus obesity. The information presented in this review would educate plant researchers on the significance of natural products of plant origin in activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which is a key development essential for managing obesity.