Background: Obesity, a global epidemic affecting over 650 million adults, is linked to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, non-al coholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular risks. Current pharmacotherapies offer limited efficacy and pose safety concerns, prompting exploration of multi-target phytotherapeutics. Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser (kadamba), a Rubiaceae tree native to South and Southeast Asia, has been traditionally used for liver disorders, inflammation, and metabolic issues, with preclinical evidence of antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and hypolipidemic properties. Objective: This review synthesizes evidence on the botany, ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects of N. cadamba in obesity management, proposing mechanisms involving lipid modulation, serotonergic signaling, oxidative stress reduction, and the gut__ampersandsignndash;liver__ampersandsignndash;brain axis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, focusing on studies from 1965__ampersandsignndash;2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed ethnomedicinal reports, phytochemical analyses, and in vivo/in vitro studies on metabolic effects. Data were synthesized narratively, with emphasis on high-fat-diet rodent models and bioactive constituents. Results: N. cadamba bark and fruit extracts (100__ampersandsignndash;400 mg/kg) attenuate high-fat-diet-induced weight gain, adiposity, dyslipi demia, and hepatic steatosis in rodents, enhancing glucose tolerance and antioxidant defenses (__ampersandsignuarr;GSH, __ampersandsigndarr;MDA). Key phyto constituents include indole alkaloids (cadambine), flavonoids (quercetin), triterpenoids (ursolic acid), and phenolics, mediating multi-target actions. Short-term studies indicate good tolerability, with hepatoprotective trends. Serotonergic modulation via indole structures is hypothesized but unconfirmed. Conclusion: N. cadamba emerges as a promising phytomedicine for obesity, supported by preclinical data. However, standard ized extracts, mechanistic validation, toxicology, and clinical trials are essential for therapeutic translation.