An Overview of Phyto-Phospholipid Carriers as Novel Drug Delivery System for Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine has many therapeutic promises since it is full of bioactive substances like flavonoids and glycosides. However, these chemicals' hydrophilic nature frequently restricts their absorption, which reduces their efficacy in clinical settings. Phytosome technology has shown promise as a solution to this problem. Phospholipids and standardized plant extracts combine to produce molecular complexes called phytosomes, which increase the bioavailability of bioactive substances. Better absorption and targeted administration to certain body regions are made possible by this technique, which enhances a compound's capacity to pass through lipid-rich cellular membranes. Compared to conventional herbal extracts, phytosomes have several advantages, including better oral absorption, greater entrapment efficiency, improved medication penetration, especially via the skin, and increased stability. They can be used in medicinal and cosmetic compositions, and they also offer hepatoprotective advantages. Phytosomes create strong chemical interactions with herbal components to increase their stability and bioavailability, in contrast to liposomes, which encapsulate bioactive compounds in lipid bilayers.