Abstract: The invention relates to an extract and/or one or more natural compounds from plants or parts of plants, respectively, from a genus selected from Schisandra, Illicium, Kadsura, Steganotaenia or Magnolia, for the regulation of body weight, fat loss, and/or management of obesity, in humans or in animals, methods and uses of the same and to the use of the same or mixtures in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical or nutraceutical formulation. The above can further be used to reduce one or more adverse metabolic parameters in a subject. The invention relates also to said extract and/or compound(s) in the treatment or in the preparation of a medicament for treatment of obesity, as well as their preparation. It also relates to pharmaceutical or nutraceutical formulations comprising said extract and/or natural compound(s), which are useful in the regulation of body weight and/or fat loss and/or for the management of obesity.