BIOMEDICAL APPLICATION OF NANOFORMULATED PLANT

An extensive range of studies have shown plant extracts and their phyto-constituents efficacy, proposing them as a promising alternative for treatment or as adjuvants in human diseases such in skin, gastrointestinal, systemic and dental conditions, due to various active components presence, ease of access and reduced side effects. Indeed, depending on solvent used to obtain the extract, its active molecules may vary, including flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, terpenes, sesquiterpenes, sterols, among others. Extract content (crude/partition/fraction) has pharmacological advantages over isolated compounds, due to pleiotropic activity and synergistic effect between components. Due to factors such as low bioavailability, solubility, and stability, it is difficult to translate its in-vitro and in-vivo effects into clinical picture, besides that pharmacological effects full potential cannot be exploited. However, in recent decades, extraordinary advances have been made in new drug delivery systems for the encapsulation of active plant metabolites, thus helping to improve different medicinal plant-based therapies and product efficacy. The current review highlights the importance of nanocarriers loaded with plant extracts as an alternative for dental, dermatological, gastrointestinal, and systemic diseases.