Plant-derived extracellular vesicles as a promising therapeutic and drug delivery strategy for tumor oxidative stress and inflammation

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are key factors in tumor progression. Existing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory treatment methods are limited due to their specificity, bioavailability and impact on non-target sites. Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs), as an innovative category of natural nanocarriers, effectively integrate therapeutic and delivery capabilities. They provide direct antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits by transporting bioactive phytochemicals and influencing key pathways. In addition, its inherent lipid bilayer structure promotes the effective encapsulation of therapeutic agents. Compared with synthetic systems, it has significant advantages in terms of biocompatibility, low immunogenicity and oral administration potential. However, the clinical application of PDEVs is hindered by challenges such as standardized isolation, batch-to-batch variability, unclear in vivo pharmacokinetics, and scalability. This review provides a critical synthesis of the current knowledge on PDEV biology, mechanisms of action, and engineering strategies, while offering a realistic analysis of translational prospects.