Abstract

PLANT-DERIVED NANOPARTICLES AND PHYTOEXOSOMES IN DRUG DELIVERY: BIOCOMPATIBILITY, SCALABILITY, AND COMPARATIVE EFFICACY WITH MAMMALIAN VESICLES

Shouvik Mondal*, Aakansha Kumari

ABSTRACT

Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs) have gained considerable attention as natural nanocarriers for regenerative medicine and cosmetic applications due to their excellent biocompatibility, intrinsic bioactive cargo, and immunomodulatory properties. Advances between 2020 and 2026 have significantly improved scalable isolation methods, multiomics-based characterisation, engineering approaches, and preclinical understanding of their pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic performance. These developments have expanded the potential of PDEVs for drug delivery, skin regeneration, wound healing, anti-inflammatory therapy, and enhanced delivery of phytochemicals. However, despite encouraging preclinical findings, their clinical and commercial translation remains limited by the absence of standardised protocols for isolation, characterisation, manufacturing, and quality control. Variability in plant sources, extraction methods, vesicle composition, and analytical techniques affects reproducibility and product consistency. To facilitate successful translation into biomedical and cosmetic applications, harmonised standards are required for source selection, nomenclature, labelling, batch-to-batch consistency, biological activity validation, safety evaluation, and regulatory quality assurance. Establishing these guidelines will improve scientific reproducibility, strengthen consumer confidence, and accelerate the safe and reliable development of PDEV-based therapeutic and cosmetic products while supporting future clinical studies and regulatory approval.

Keywords: Biocompatibility, Plant-derived extracellular vesicles, Anti-inflammatory, Consumer safety, phytochemicals.