Flavonoids are hydroxylated phenolic substances in vegetables, fruits, flowers, seeds, wine, tea, nuts, propolis, and honey. They belong to a versatile category of natural polyphenolic compounds. Their biological function depends on various factors such as their chemical structure, degree of hydroxylation, degree of polymerization conjugation, and substitutions. Flavonoids have gained considerable attention among researchers, as they show a wide range of pharmacological activities, including coronary heart disease prevention, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, free-radical scavenging, anticancer, and anti-atherosclerotic activities. Plants synthesize flavonoid compounds in response to pathogen attacks, and these compounds exhibit potent antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral) activity against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. However, certain antibacterial flavonoids have the ability to selectively target the cell wall of bacteria and inhibit virulence factors, including biofilm formation. Moreover, some flavonoids are known to reverse antibiotic resistance and enhance the efficacy of existing antibiotic drugs. However, due to their poor solubility in water, flavonoids have limited oral bioavailability. They are quickly metabolized in the gastrointestinal region, which limits their ability to prevent and treat various disorders. The integration of flavonoids into nanomedicine constitutes a viable strategy for achieving efficient cutaneous delivery owing to their favorable encapsulation capacity and diminished toxicity. The utilization of nanoparticles or nanoformulations facilitates drug delivery by targeting the drug to the specific site of action and exhibits excellent physicochemical stability.
Keywords: drug delivery systems; encapsulation; flavonoids; hydrogels; nanogel; nanomedicine; topical infection.