TNF and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Quercetin (a naturally occurring flavonoid known to protect against oxidative stress and inflammation) has been shown to reduce obesity-induced inflammation in the hypothalamus by inhibition of the microglial inflammatory response via a reduced expression of key cytokine genes (TNF-a, Il-1b and MCP-1) and an overall decrease in the activation status [36].