Medicine Food Homology-Based Functional Products for the Management of Chronic Metabolic Diseases: Mechanisms and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The integration of food and medicine—known as medicine food homology (MFH)—has become a promising strategy for the prevention and adjunct treatment of chronic metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. In recent years, MFH-based functional products have attracted considerable attention due to their natural origin, safety profile, and multi-target efficacy. With the growing understanding of the gut microbiota’s role in host metabolism, many MFH ingredients have been shown to modulate gut microbial composition and activity, thereby exerting systemic health effects. Moreover, the application of systems biology tools such as network pharmacology, metabolomics, and gut microbiome analysis has further advanced the mechanistic exploration of MFH materials in metabolic disease modulation. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the development, functional evaluation, and mechanistic interpretation of MFH-based functional foods for managing chronic metabolic disorders. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications focusing on the following:

• Novel MFH formulations and functional food products;
• Modulation of gut microbiota by MFH materials;
• Molecular mechanisms uncovered by network pharmacology and multi-omics;
• Preclinical and clinical studies on MFH applications in metabolic disease.

We invite researchers working in nutrition, traditional medicine, microbiome science, and functional food development to contribute to this Special Issue, titled "Medicine Food Homology-Based Functional Products for the Management of Chronic Metabolic Diseases: Mechanisms and Applications."

Prof. Dr. Lixia Xiao
Guest Editor

Dr. Longfei Zhang
Guest Editor Assistant

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