Unlocking the Power of Natural Compounds through Nanotechnology: A Review

The advancement of medicine has been a tremendous breakthrough in humanity's fight against several infectious diseases. However, people have recently turned to natural medications, which are human-friendly while causing few or no side effects, as a result of the many adverse effects linked to conventional medicine. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have been used to treat infectious diseases and have shown promise as substitutes. However, many of their practical applications are limited because of their poorer solubility and bioavailability. Understanding the biological activity and composition of some medicinal plant products has become feasible through advances in phytochemistry and phytopharmacology. Active chemicals are necessary for medicinal plants to be effective. In extracts, most of the physiologically active components, such as terpenoids, tannins, and flavonoids, are highly soluble in water but poorly absorbed, reducing their bioavailability and effectiveness. This is because they cannot cross cell lipid membranes, are too big molecules, or have poor absorption. These difficulties make it difficult to utilize certain extracts in therapeutic contexts. The efficacy of plant extracts may be enhanced by nanostructured systems, which could increase activity while reducing the required dose and associated side effects. The main objective of this review is to present a critical analysis of the nanotechnology applicability for natural materials-based therapeutics with a focus on increasing their therapeutic potential , including solubility, stability, bioavailability, and targeted drug delivery.