The metabolic syndrome (MS) has become the global epidemic of this century. Its treatment is difficult since it includes several pathologies and a single agent may not be sufficient to improve the condition. Therefore several approaches may be necessary, for instance pharmacological products together with adequate diet and exercise. In this review we give some details of studies in animal models, very useful to determine causes of the pathologies and their treatments, some of them with newly developed drugs, which then can be applied in the clinic. We include data from our own studies, such as the positive results obtained by treatments with Hibiscus sabdariffa in rats with MS.