Natural products based nanoformulations for cancer treatment: current evolution in Indian research

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants is as ancient as human civilization. The development of phytochemistry and pharmacology facilitates the identification of natural bioactive compounds and their mechanisms of action, including against cancer. The efficacy and the safety of a bioactive compound depend on its optimal delivery to the target site. Most natural bioactive compounds (phenols, flavonoids, tannins, etc) are unable to reach their target sites due to their low water solubility, less cellular absorption, and high molecular weight, leading to their failure into clinical translation. Therefore, many scientific studies are going on to overcome the drawbacks of natural products for clinical applications. Several studies in India, as well as worldwide, have proposed the development of natural products-based nanoformulations to increase their efficacy and safety profile for cancer therapy by improving the delivery of natural bioactive compounds to their target site. Therefore, we are trying to discuss the development of natural products-based nanoformulations in India to improve the efficacy and safety of natural bioactive compounds against cancer.

Nanotechnology-based delivery systems to overcome drug resistance in cancer

“…Natural products and their numerous derivatives are valuable sources of compounds with anticancer efficacy, including extracts from animals, plants, and microorganisms, among others [ 183 , 184 ]. Due to their effects on multiple cellular signaling pathways and their acceptable safety profile, more than half of all clinically used chemotherapeutic drugs are natural products [ 185 , 186 ].…”

“…It is vital to indicate that certain natural products alone have off-target toxicity, low solubility, and low cell permeability, which can limit their anti-cancer efficacy [ 191 ]. Therefore, a drug delivery system, based on nanoformulation methods, represents an alternative strategy to significantly increase the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic efficacy of natural products [ 183 ]. Nanopreparation techniques can be used to successfully deliver the natural products to the target site [ 157 ].…”

Natural biomass-derived carbon dots as a potent solubilizer with high biocompatibility and enhanced antioxidant activity

“…In pharmaceutical development, over 40% of newly synthesized candidate therapeutics fall under BCS II or BCS IV, categories notorious for their poor water solubility (Charalabidis et al, 2019), particularly compounds originating from natural plants. These plant-derived derivatives (e.g., paclitaxel, resveratrol, and curcumin) have demonstrated a plethora of functional diversity and therapeutic potential, finding applications in the food industry, biopharmaceuticals, and adjacent sectors (Li and Vederas, 2009;Kundu et al, 2021;Cruz-Hernández et al, 2022). Nevertheless, these compounds all exhibit poor bioavailability due to their low aqueous solubility.…”

Research progress on self-assembled nanodrug delivery systems

“…4 In addition, nanodrug carriers can adjust the rate of drug release, and drugs with short half-lives can be turned into sustained-release drugs, which can prevent repeated administration. 5 Releasing drugs only in specific environments can reduce the damage caused by drugs to normal tissues and reduce the degradation of drugs in the cycle process, thereby increasing the solubility and bioavailability of insoluble drugs and enhancing the controlled release ability of drugs. 6 With the physicochemical properties of nanocarriers, targeted drug delivery can be achieved, and pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy can be improved.…”