Conventional herbal extracts, despite their excellent biological activities, display poor bioavailability and poor lipid solubility, ascribing to their large molecular size and hydrophilic nature which adversely affects their therapeutic... more
Conventional herbal extracts, despite their excellent biological activities, display poor bioavailability and poor lipid solubility, ascribing to their large molecular size and hydrophilic nature which adversely affects their therapeutic potential. This lack of bioavailability can be greatly improved by using different delivery systems, one such being the use of phytosomes. This phospholipid-based delivery system has proven to be a promising technique for delivery and enhanced efficacy of the herbal or phytochemical extracts, as well as demonstrating improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile when compared to the conventional herbal extracts. This delivery system has shown remarkable potential of herbal extract delivery, when administered orally or topically and may further be made to be used as a means of targeted intravenous cell therapy by employing the use of desired monoclonal antibodies with the standardised phytosome formulations.
Phytosomes, are the tiny structures which serves as intermediate between the conventional and novel drug delivery system. These are the cells, which are able to carry themselves from a hydrophilic to the lipid environment of the cell... more
Phytosomes, are the tiny structures which serves as intermediate between the conventional and novel drug delivery system. These are the cells, which are able to carry themselves from a hydrophilic to the lipid environment of the cell membrane, which ultimately reaches the blood. The hydrophilic plant constituents, which find their application in skin disorders, anti-ageing possess and different type of carcinomas are difficult in processing into conventional delivery system and hence transformed into phytosomes. Phytosomes are the complexes prepared by mixing polyphenolic phytoconstituents and phosphatidylcholine in molar ratio. Phytosomes are superior to the conventional drug delivery systems in terms of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Phytosomal delivery of the extracts of Ginkgo biloba, Grape seed, Green tea, Ginseng, etc. has been profitably used. Phytosomes have been refined for therapeutic uses like cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulator, anticancer, antidiabetic etc. or for preventive and health reasons. In the ever-expanding pharmaceutical horizon, exploration of Phytosome technology is much needed.
Most medicinal and pharmaceutical herbal extracts are poorly soluble in aqueous moieties and have reduced adsorption by living cells. Liposomal encapsulation of those so called phytosomes could be a solution to overcome this problem.... more
Most medicinal and pharmaceutical herbal extracts are poorly soluble in aqueous moieties and have reduced adsorption by living cells. Liposomal encapsulation of those so called phytosomes could be a solution to overcome this problem. Meanwhile, much research shows that metallic nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit biological activity such as wound healing and antioxidant properties on living cells. Here, we constructed a novel liposomal formulation by encapsulating both Calendula officinalis extract and AuNPs. After the preparation of vesicles using the traditional thin film hydration method within extrusion, the resulting AuNP–phytosomes were characterized by dynamic light scattering size measurements, zeta potential and atomic force microscopy. These vesicles are less than 100 nm in size and have a high encapsulation efficiency for chlorogenic acid and quercetin as the model major molecules of Calendula extract. Furthermore, AuNP–phytosomes exhibited antioxidant and wound healing activity significantly according to the free forms of each encapsulated material and the plain liposome as well as the phytosome form. Moreover, the cellular interactions of the vesicles were monitored using the nano-vesicles prepared by Texas-Red labelled lipids under fluorescence microscopy.
Objectives: Sinigrin is a major glucosinolate present in plants of the Brassicaceae family. Recently sinigrin and its phytosome formulations have been investigated for its wound healing actions, by our research group. The aim of this... more
Objectives: Sinigrin is a major glucosinolate present in plants of the Brassicaceae family. Recently sinigrin and its phytosome formulations have been investigated for its wound healing actions, by our research group. The aim of this study was to demonstrate sinigrin drug release from its phytosome complex and also to determine if the phytosome complex enhances the delivery of sinigrin into the skin when compared to free sinigrin. Methods: In vitro Franz cell diffusion studies were performed on human abdominal skin. The morphology of the phytosome complex was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The in vitro drug release was determined by using dialysis sacks. Key findings: The in vitro drug release indicated a controlled and sustained release of sinigrin from the phytosome complex. Tape stripping results showed that the sinigrin-phytosome complex (0.5155 µg/ml) statistically significantly enhanced the delivery of sinigrin into the stratum corneum-epidermis when compared to the free sinigrin (0.0730 µg/ml). Conclusions: These results suggested the possibility of utilizing sinigrin-phytosome complex, to optimally deliver sinigrin to the skin which can be further used for various skin related diseases including wound healing.
One of the herbs in Indonesia, Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) contains triterpenoid glycosides, which are ethnomedicine used as neuroprotectors. Phytochemical components of Gotu Kola extract tend to be polar, so it needs an approach to... more
One of the herbs in Indonesia, Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) contains triterpenoid glycosides, which are ethnomedicine used as neuroprotectors. Phytochemical components of Gotu Kola extract tend to be polar, so it needs an approach to modify the polarity of the extract. The method is to formulate an extract in the form of phytosome as an herbal delivery system so that it can increase the absorption and bioavailability of the active substance. It is suitable for the delivery system of active compounds from plants because it can carry hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds from plants. This paper specifically reviews the potential of the plant extracts for the recovery of nerve cell membranes and improving one's cognitive function.
