Targeted Delivery of Magnolol Using Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy: Progress and Challenges

The application of traditional Chinese medicine, particularly Magnolol for anticancer treatment has increased significantly by inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing angiogenesis through the modulation of key signaling pathways. Nanoparticles represent a strategy that elucidates the ambiguous application of Magnolol in medical fields using a more effective encapsulation method. This review and bibliometric study examine the comprehensive literature regarding Magnolol-loaded nanoparticles for anticancer therapy. The data were sourced by Scopus database, totaling 88 documents for the period 1999–2025 then analyzed using VOSviewer and OpenRefine. Encapsulation Magnolol into nanoparticle offers a promising strategy to overcome its poor aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability, while protecting the compound from premature degradation. These nanoparticles were designed to enhance the aqueous solubility of Magnolol, with target parameters including a nanoscale diameter. This is supported by the annual growth trend of research documents by year on Magnolol encapsulation, not nanomaterials, showing the highest publication output occurring in 2024, and shows that the country that has produced the highest volume of research related to Magnolol is China. Magnolol demonstrates substantial potential as a traditional Chinese medicine–derived anticancer agent. It emphasizes the fundamental comprehension of the chemical properties and structural features of Magnolol, the influence of Magnolol on cellular proliferation and growth, the biopharmaceutical attributes of Magnolol, and the targeted delivery of Magnolol as TCMs through nanocarriers to cancer cells. These data demonstrate the substantial influence and pivotal role of Magnolol as a traditional Chinese medicine in advancing various scientific.