Athira V. Anand

Treatment with herbal extracts is a folk remedy. They were not based on a scientific approach. For treatment, it is necessary to analyze the extract for the content of medicinal molecules, and then use the extract for treatment. It is better to isolate the molecules from the extract that treat. Otherwise, one molecule will treat, and the second will harm the body.

Nanotechnology studies the processes of treatment using nanosized particles of 1-100 nm, which have a size effect, that is, depending on their size. Although DNA is a molecule, it is large and can be attributed to this size.

Therefore, herbal treatment should not be attributed to nanotechnology.

Processes that are compatible with nanotechnology are possible. For example, a drug molecule from an extract dissolves poorly in the stomach and for its delivery, it is placed in vesicles of polymers or surfactants.

Yuri Mirgorod Sir

Thank you for your insightful response!

You have raised an important point regarding the scientific validation of herbal remedies and the need to isolate bioactive molecules for targeted therapy. While traditional herbal medicine was historically based on empirical knowledge, modern research focuses on experimental validation of their therapeutic potential.

Regarding nanotechnology in herbal medicine, the goal is not to claim that herbal treatments inherently fall under nanotechnology but rather to apply nanotechnology-based approaches to enhance the efficacy of herbal compounds. Many bioactive molecules from plant extracts suffer from low solubility, poor permeability, and rapid metabolism, limiting their therapeutic benefits.

As you rightly pointed out, nanocarriers (such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions) can improve the delivery, bioavailability, and controlled release of these molecules.

Several studies have demonstrated that nanoformulations of herbal compounds increase their therapeutic index, enhance stability, and enable targeted drug delivery.

Eg. curcumin nanoparticles have shown improved bioavailability compared to raw curcumin. Similarly, phytosomes enhance the absorption of flavonoids like quercetin and silymarin.

Thus, applying nanotechnology to herbal compounds offers significant potential in modern drug development.

Would you agree that such an approach can bridge the gap between traditional medicine and modern pharmaceutical sciences?

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Dear Athira V. Anand, I hope you're well.

Nanotechnology can indeed enhance the effects of bioactive compounds when they are effective. This is because some nanoparticles, such as liposomes and nanoemulsions, can protect the internalized molecule, keeping its structure intact and promoting significant improvements in its biocompatibility. In addition, these NPs can release the molecule in a controlled manner, preventing its therapeutic levels from fluctuating to sub-therapeutic or toxic levels.

So, if you want to assess whether the NPs have potentiated the activity of a compound, you first need to determine whether the molecule has been properly encapsulated. In general, encapsulation takes place through a self-assembly process of the nanoparticle. By this, I mean that if the molecule is hydrophobic, it will be encapsulated in the hydrophobic part of the nanoparticle. However, if it is hydrophilic, the opposite works. In this context, the method chosen to obtain the nanoparticles depends on the properties of the molecule. If the molecule is hydrophobic, the methods of emulsification and evaporation of the solvent, microemulsion and self-assembly of liposomes or micelles are useful. For hydrophilic molecules, the main strategies include the solvent evaporation method, hydrogel formation and copolymerisation synthesis. The synthesizing solid lipid nanoparticles and the solvation method are useful for molecules with both characteristics.

To confirm that the molecule has been encapsulated, it is possible to carry out dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy measurements. In these measurements, you should always compare the results obtained with measurements of the nanoparticle without the molecule inside. If the molecule you are encapsulating has an absorption spectrum, you can determine its concentration in the supernatant using uV-VIs spectroscopy after obtaining the nanoparticle. This is an indirect measure, since by knowing the amount in the supernatant, it is possible to estimate the amount encapsulated. For this, All you need to do is make a calibration curve for the molecule.

After confirming that the nanosystem has been formed, you can apply it. You will only know whether the nanoparticles were more effective than the compound alone by comparing your biological tests. Therefore, the choice of biological model is very important.

I hope I've helped,

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MS.c João Victor Araújo de Lima

João Victor Araújo de Lima Thank you for your detailed and insightful response! I truly appreciate the clarity with which you've explained the encapsulation process and the importance of selecting the right nanoparticle synthesis method based on the molecule’s hydrophilic or hydrophobic nature. The mention of dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy as characterization techniques is particularly valuable.

I completely agree that confirming proper encapsulation is a critical step before assessing bioactivity enhancement. The idea of controlled release preventing sub-therapeutic or toxic fluctuations is fascinating, as it directly influences drug efficacy and patient outcomes.

I’m curious—based on your experience, which nanoparticle delivery system (liposomes, SLNs, polymeric NPs, etc.) has shown the most promising results in improving the bioavailability of herbal compounds in in vivo models?

Looking forward to your thoughts! Thanks again for sharing your expertise.

Athira V. Anand,

It's hard to say, because all these nanocarriers have advantages and limitations. However, between polymeric nanocarriers and lipid-based nanoparticles, I would bet on lipid-based ones, since they may have a greater affinity with biological membranes than polymeric nanoparticles. Furthermore, between SLNs and liposomes, liposomes have an extra advantage, since they can be easier to synthesize. You could also think about making a nanoparticle out of the compound itself.

I did a quick search in the literature and found a very detailed review on this topic, which I think may be of interest to you. I've attached the file.

João Victor Araújo de Lima Thank you sir for sharing the knowledge