Revolutionizing Herbal Extracts by Nanotechnology Approaches for Enhanced Delivery and Efficacy

Abstract

Recent advances in nanotechnology have revolutionized medicine by enabling innovative drug delivery systems and treatment strategies. For centuries, medicinal plants have been considered the cornerstone of traditional medicine due to their diverse biological functions, attributed to the natural compounds they contain. Approximately 75% of the global population currently relies on medicinal plant extracts or formulations to address health issues, benefiting from their antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Integrating herbal medicine with modern nanotechnology offers exciting opportunities to enhance therapeutic efficacy, enabling more targeted and efficient treatments. Nanoformulation techniques, which embed active compounds within nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanocapsules, and nanogels, enhance herbal extracts' delivery, stability, and bioavailability. These methods address limitations in traditional drug delivery by reducing particle size to the nanoscale, thereby improving absorption, distribution, and efficacy. Furthermore, innovative encapsulation techniques, significantly enhance the therapeutic potential of herbal extracts. By merging traditional herbal medicine with modern nanotechnology, researchers aim to unlock new disease prevention and management strategies, promoting safer and more effective medical treatments. This mini-review focuses on various aspects of encapsulating herbal extracts in nanocarriers and their effectiveness in enhancing the activity of these extracts.
Keywords: Nanoformulations, Nanoencapsulation, Herbal extracts, Therapeutic effects