The Role of Nanotechnology in Drug Development From Medicinal Plants

Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter at atomic, molecular, and supramolecular levels (Ramsden, 2009). One medicinal plant that has gained significance in nanotechnology applications is turmeric. The rhizome of Curcuma longa, traditionally used for decades as a spice, coloring agent, and food preservative, has been identified as a rich source of phenolic compounds (Sa and Das, 2008). However, the primary challenge in utilizing curcumin, its active component, is its low bioavailability (Ahmad et al., 2007). This limitation arises due to its poor stability and low aqueous solubility, necessitating the consumption of large doses to achieve therapeutic effects (Wang et al., 2008). Such high doses are impractical for clinical trials. Nanotechnology offers a solution by transforming turmeric extracts into water-soluble nanocrystals, approximately 250 nm in size. These curcumin nanoparticles have shown great potential in treating diseases such as cancer, microbial infections, and even HIV (Thorat and Dalvi, 2012). Among the numerous advantages of nanotechnology in drug development, it enables the fabrication of active phytochemicals with enhanced drug-targeting capabilities. This has led to the emergence of various technologies that leverage the unique properties of nanoscale structures (Aulton, 2007). Innovations such as nanocrystals, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanoemulsions, and polymeric nanoparticles have helped overcome key challenges related to poor solubility, limited bioavailability, and chemical instability in drug development from medicinal plants (Pletonen and Hinnoven, 2010).