Dietary polyphenols targeting NLRP3 inflammasome in obesity and metabolic disorders: a review on experimental and computational evidence


SUBAŞ T., Çetinkaya S., Şirin S., Başer T., SÜNTAR İ.

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Derleme
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09637486.2026.2625829
  • Dergi Adı: International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CINAHL, MEDLINE
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: dietary polyphenols, inflammation, molecular docking, NLRP3 inflammasome, obesity
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Obesity and its associated metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular complications, represent a major global health burden. A key pathogenic mechanism linking these conditions is the overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which triggers caspase-1 activation and promotes proinflammatory cytokine release (e.g., IL-1β and IL-18), driving adipose tissue dysfunction, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation. Emerging evidence highlights dietary polyphenols as natural modulators of NLRP3 activity attenuating inflammasome activation by regulating NF-κB signalling, reducing oxidative stress and restoring autophagy. Complementary in silico approaches (e.g., molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, network pharmacology) provide mechanistic insights into polyphenol-inflammasome interactions. This review summarises current evidence on the NLRP3’s role in obesity-related disorders and discusses the therapeutic potential of dietary polyphenols, underscoring directions for translational and multidisciplinary research.