NANOTECHNOLOGY-BASED HERBAL MEDICINES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Since ancient times, herbal medicines have been commonly used around the world. The advancement of phytochemical and phytopharmacological sciences has made it possible for some medicinal plant products to elucidate the composition and biological activities. The efficacy of many medicinal plant species depends on the availability of active compounds. Most of the extracts' biologically active constituents, such as flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids, are highly soluble in water but have low absorption since they are unable to traverse the cells' lipid membranes, have excessively large molecular size, or are poorly absorbed, resulting in loss of bioavailability and efficacy. Owing to these barriers, some extracts are not used clinically. Combining herbal medicine with nanotechnology has been widely suggested because nanostructured systems could be capable of potentiating the action of plant extracts, reducing the dosage and side effects needed, and improving operation. During the whole treatment cycle, nano systems will deliver the active constituent at an appropriate concentration, directing it to the desired site of action. These criteria are not fulfilled by traditional therapies. The goal of this study is to explore drug delivery systems and herbal medicines based on nanotechnology.