The Utilization of Plant-Material-Loaded Vesicular Drug Delivery Systems in the Management of Pulmonary Diseases

Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2023 Dec 12;45(12):9985-10017. doi: 10.3390/cimb45120624.

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been utilized to treat a variety of conditions on account of the bioactive properties that they contain. Most bioactive constituents from plants are of limited effectiveness, due to poor solubility, limited permeability, first-pass metabolism, efflux transporters, chemical instability, and food-drug interactions However, when combined with vesicular drug delivery systems (VDDS), herbal medicines can be delivered at a predetermined rate and can exhibit site-specific action. Vesicular drug delivery systems are novel pharmaceutical formulations that make use of vesicles as a means of encapsulating and transporting drugs to various locations within the body; they are a cutting-edge method of medication delivery that combats the drawbacks of conventional drug delivery methods. Drug delivery systems offer promising strategies to overcome the bioavailability limitations of bioactive phytochemicals. By improving their solubility, protecting them from degradation, enabling targeted delivery, and facilitating controlled release, drug delivery systems can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of phytochemicals and unlock their full potential in various health conditions. This review explores and collates the application of plant-based VDDS with the potential to exhibit protective effects against lung function loss in the interest of innovative and effective treatment and management of respiratory illnesses.

Keywords: asthma; chronic obsessive pulmonary disorder; plant bioactives; tuberculosis; vesicular drug delivery system.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

B.S.L. was funded by the National Research Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship (Fund number: PMDS22062326829 UID).