PHYTOSOMES: A NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY FOR HERBAL EXTRACTS

Novel drug delivery system is a novel approach to drug delivery that addresses the limitations of the traditional drug delivery systems. Our country has a vast knowledge base of Ayurveda whose potential is only being realized in the recent years.The effectiveness of any herbal medication is dependent on the delivery of effective level of the therapeutically active compound. Severe limitation exists in their bioavailability when administered orally or topically. Phytosomes are recently introduced herbal formulations that are better absorbed and as a result produce better bioavailability and actions than the conventional phyto-molecules or botanical extracts. In the recent days, most of the prevailing diseases and nutritional disorders are treated with natural medicines. Several plant extracts and phytoconstituents, despite having excellent bioactivity in vitro demonstrate less or no in vivo actions due to their poor lipid solubility or improper molecular size or both, resulting in poor absorption and bioavailability. So, much work has been directed towards the development of new concept in herbal delivery system i.e., “phytosomes” which are better absorbed, utilized and as a result produce better results than conventional herbal extracts owing to the presence of phosphatidylcholine which likely pushes the phytoconstituent through the intestinal epithelial cell outer membrane, subsequently accessing the bloodstream phytosomes have improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacological parameter which in result can advantageously be used in the treatment of the acute and chronic liver disease of toxic metabolic or infective origin or of degenerative nature.