Abstract

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE STUDY OF HERBAL CONSTITUENTS

P. Sandhya*, M. Shrishti, J. Khushi, J. Harshada, S. Agnes and N. Arvind

ABSTRACT

The review examines the intersection of herbal remedies and nanotechnology-based drug delivery methods with a primary focus on the evolutionary of nanoparticles. It addresses prevalent challenges associated with clinical use of herbal extracts, notably poor absorption and large molecular size, while highlighting significant advances in nanoparticle technology, particularly for traversing the blood-brain barrier. Among the promising nanoparticle vesicles, lipid nanoparticles have made remarkable contribution, offering advantages such as targeted delivery, biocompatibility, ease of preparation, scalability, and non-toxicity. Variants like liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers exhibit significant potential for enhancing medication administration. Metallic nanoparticles, exemplified by silver and gold, are known for their unique characteristics and find
applications in biosensors, diagnostics, biochemistry, photography, and antimicrobial interventions, demonstrating environmental benignity. Gold nanoparticles, specifically, exhibit apoptotic effects in cancer cell models, presenting cytotoxicity against various malignancies. Polymeric nanoparticles, ranging in size from 1 to 1000 nm, represent another avenue explored for drug delivery. While they prove valuable in targeted antibiotic delivery, cancer treatment, vaccination administration, and contraception, challenges such as inadequate drug encapsulation, reliance on hazardous organic solvents, and potential drug leakage remain pertinent. The review also introduces liquid crystals (LCs), stable formations between crystalline solids and isotropic liquids. Leveraging natural materials like vegetable oils, researchers aim to harness the advantageous qualities of LCs, including low viscosity and molecular weight, to create reliable, efficient, and safe medication delivery systems. The review paper thus summarises various nanotechnology methods, elucidates their differences, outlines methods of preparation and characterization, and explores their applications in herbal drugs.

Keywords: Nanoparticles, Phytoconstituents, bioavailability.