Loquat Leaf Extracts and Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysfunction: Current Evidence, Extraction Technologies, and Combination Strategies.
- 1Food Laboratory of Zhongyuan, Luohe 462300, China.
- 2College of Food Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Abstract
Obesity is a multi-factorial metabolic disease for which safe, food-compatible interventions remain of interest. This narrative review evaluates the leaf-specific evidence for Eriobotrya japonica in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction and examines its bioactive constituents, extraction technologies, and combination research. Direct studies of loquat leaf preparations were distinguished from indirect evidence obtained with isolated compounds or other plant matrices. Preclinical studies indicate that loquat leaf extracts and triterpenoid-acid fractions can reduce lipid accumulation, body-weight gain, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers in cell and rodent models; however, clinical evidence for obesity is not yet available. Loquat leaves contain triterpenic acids, flavonoids (including flavonols and flavan-3-ols), and phenolic acids, although reported contents vary with origin, harvest stage, and extraction method. Among the technologies reviewed, subcritical water extraction has direct leaf-specific evidence for concentrating corosolic and ursolic acids, whereas evidence for microwave- and enzyme-assisted extraction is less mature or concerns other compound classes. A 1:1 mixture of loquat- and lotus-leaf extracts produced stronger preclinical anti-obesity effects than either extract alone, but formal synergy was not tested; proposed combinations with curcumin or epigallocatechin-3-gallate remain hypotheses. Future work should standardize extracts, link composition to activity, test physical compatibility, and use factorial preclinical designs before clinical translation. Overall, loquat leaf is a promising but still preclinical resource for obesity-related metabolic dysfunction.
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BibTeX
@article{sun2026loquat,
title = {{Loquat Leaf Extracts and Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysfunction: Current Evidence, Extraction Technologies, and Combination Strategies.}},
author = {Chenxiang Sun and Kaiyang Zhu and Yuan Li and Feng Li and Yingxin Zhang and Zhuoyang Wang and Hongyan Zhao and Weiwei Wang and Xianglong Zhang and Wanli Zhang and Qiang Li},
journal = {Foods (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/foods15193378},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883484},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Loquat Leaf Extracts and Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysfunction: Current Evidence, Extraction Technologies, and Combination Strategies.
AU - Chenxiang Sun
AU - Kaiyang Zhu
AU - Yuan Li
AU - Feng Li
AU - Yingxin Zhang
AU - Zhuoyang Wang
AU - Hongyan Zhao
AU - Weiwei Wang
AU - Xianglong Zhang
AU - Wanli Zhang
AU - Qiang Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/23
JO - Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/foods15193378
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883484
AB - Obesity is a multi-factorial metabolic disease for which safe, food-compatible interventions remain of interest. This narrative review evaluates the leaf-specific evidence for Eriobotrya japonica in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction and examines its bioactive constituents, extraction technologies, and combination research. Direct studies of loquat leaf preparations were distinguished from indirect evidence obtained with isolated compounds or other plant matrices. Preclinical studies indicate that loquat leaf extracts and triterpenoid-acid fractions can reduce lipid accumulation, body-weight gain, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers in cell and rodent models; however, clinical evidence for obesity is not yet available. Loquat leaves contain triterpenic acids, flavonoids (including flavonols and flavan-3-ols), and phenolic acids, although reported contents vary with origin, harvest stage, and extraction method. Among the technologies reviewed, subcritical water extraction has direct leaf-specific evidence for concentrating corosolic and ursolic acids, whereas evidence for microwave- and enzyme-assisted extraction is less mature or concerns other compound classes. A 1:1 mixture of loquat- and lotus-leaf extracts produced stronger preclinical anti-obesity effects than either extract alone, but formal synergy was not tested; proposed combinations with curcumin or epigallocatechin-3-gallate remain hypotheses. Future work should standardize extracts, link composition to activity, test physical compatibility, and use factorial preclinical designs before clinical translation. Overall, loquat leaf is a promising but still preclinical resource for obesity-related metabolic dysfunction.
SN - 2304-8158
ER -