Nanotechnology in Phytopharmaceuticals

Abstract

In recent times, nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. Herbal nanoformulations have drawn a lot of attention for their extensive application, reduced dose and enhanced efficacy. Herbal nanoparticles are loaded with either plant extract or plant active isolate, set a higher benchmark than their modern counterparts, and hold an almost equivalent pharmacological potential with lower side effects, making them a lucrative option. This work is a detailed review of plantbased nanoparticles as an advanced therapeutic vehicle for the delivery of various herbal actives. It further elaborates different categories of nanoparticles such as polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, etc., along with their methods of preparation namely the hot homogenization method, co-precipitation method, cold homogenization method, salting out method, ionic gelation method, etc., including various characterization techniques such as ultraviolet spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, zeta potential, etc. These are applied for exploring the size, size distribution, surface charge shape, density, nature, magnetic properties and surface area and this is mandatory for the successful development of herbal nanoparticles. This chapter also discusses the different in-vitro and in-vivo characterizations of nanoparticles that have been done so far to establish them as a novel formulation in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Hence, from this extensive compilation, it can be clearly understood that the implementation of nanotechnology in the herbal drug delivery system can enhance the efficacy of herbal drugs.