Phytotherapy for Obesity Management: The Role of Gut Microbiota in Reshaping Adipose Tissue

People with obesity exhibit abnormal fat accumulation, systemic chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and dysregulation of glucolipid metabolism. However, interventions aimed at lifestyle modification and energy intake reduction have shown limited effectiveness. Adipose tissue is widely distributed throughout the body and has high plasticity. Reshaping adipose tissue, including activating brown adipose tissue and promoting the browning of white adipose tissue, can effectively enhance energy expenditure, thereby contributing to anti-obesity effects. Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing technology and metabolomics have provided deeper insights into the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and host metabolism. Phytotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to combat obesity, offering a relatively safe, cost-effective, and accessible alternative to traditional treatments. This review aims to explore the mechanisms through which phytotherapy-encompassing Chinese herbal medicine, herbal formulas, dietary plants, and functional foods-modulates gut microbiota and reshapes adipose tissue, thereby exerting anti-obesity effects. We included peer-reviewed original articles, which investigate phytotherapy's effects on modulating gut microbiota and reshaping adipose tissue. The outcome measures of the articles should involve parameters related to anti-obesity effects, such as body weight, body mass index, blood lipid levels, fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance index, and so on. Notably, current research primarily focuses on preclinical studies, indicating an urgent need for high-quality clinical trials to validate the actual efficacy of phytotherapy in obesity management.