Background and Purpose: Obesity is a major threat to public health around the world and is a major factor in various diseases. There are various drugs and various surgical procedures dealing with obesity, but both have adverse effects and limited efficacy. People's dissatisfaction along with expensive chemical drugs has many side effects, as well as the desire for fitness through natural methods, which are the most important causes of the use of herbal medicines by people. As herbs used by people in the treatment of obesity for weight loss are not definitely evaluated and have dangerous effects this study intended to review relevant studies to facilitate access to plants whose efficacy and safety have been proven through authentic clinical trials.
Methods and Materials: In this study, we investigated valid scientific articles indexed in ISI, SID, PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using complementary medicine and alternative medicinal herbs, obesity, overweight, clinical trial, weight loss as keywords.
Conclusion: Plants affecting weight loss have different mechanisms such as increasing metabolism, affecting fat metabolism, reducing appetite, reducing fat absorption, laxative, increasing levels of leptin, preventing carbohydrate intake, and hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. Studies show a significant and safe decrease in weight with Triphala consumption. In some studies, cinnamon, soybeans, celery, senna, roses, and cumin caused a significant reduction in weight. In some other studies, their effectiveness and even their safety were doubtful. Phytosterols, tubers of Orchis mascula, and Felty germander have caused significant weight loss in animal studies. In the case of fenugreek and peanut, more studies are needed.