Involvement of YAP/TAZ Signaling Pathway in Anti-obesity Activity of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity has become a pandemic chronic disease. The main principle of obesity treatment is to regulate energy balance by reducing energy intake and increasing energy expenditure. These target mechanisms have become the point of attention in herbal medicine studies. Several molecular mechanisms of actions possessed by Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MLE) have been studied in many experimental research works. Objective: In this mini-review, we encompass the mechanisms of MLE in demonstrating the antiobesity activity, including the potential involvement of YAP/TAZ activity. Methods: Several major electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, were used in selecting articles from the period between August 2011 and August 2020. Results: From 18 established pieces of literature, we demonstrated the anti-obesity activity of MLE in detail. Several citations accompanied the results of these researched-based studies to explain and illustrate the molecular mechanisms, including YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. Conclusion: MLE, through its phytochemistry contents, shows significant benefits in herbal medicine, especially the anti-obesity activity. MLE potentially contributes to modify the lipid metabolism in YAP/TAZ pathway. However, the study demonstrating this involvement has still not published. In the future, more exploration may provide hope for its efficacy and safety as the therapeutic agent of obesity.