Novel Approaches of Herbal Drug Delivery

Abstract

From ancient times, herbal medicines are in use to cure the diseases due to their potential and less side effects. But difficulties in identification, processing, standardizing, extracting of herbal drugs, it rarely attracts scientists towards the development of novel delivery systems for herbal drugs. The reduced efficacy of herbal drugs is due to the traditional and out of date approach of administration to patients. To minimize these problems various novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) such as phytosomes, ethosomes, transfersomes, herbal transdermal patches, nanoparticles and biphasic emulsions are used nowadays. Novel approach of delivering herbal drugs will increase the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines along with the increased stability of the drug product. These techniques provide improved patient compliance, sustained release and targeted action of plant actives and extracts. This review summarizes the information of various novel techniques used for improving safety and efficacy of phytomedicines, type of active ingredients, biological activity and application of novel formulation of herbal drugs to achieve better therapeutic response.