Development of Novel Carrier System: A Key Approach to Enhance Bioavailability of Herbal Medicines

Medicinal herbs have been utilised for thousands of years to cure various medical conditions. Medicinal herbs continue to play a significant role in the health care systems of a significant portion of the global population, particularly in developing nations. However, water soluble phytoconstituents (such as flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids) are poorly absorbed via passive diffusion or because of their poor lipid solubility and consequently demonstrating poor bioavailability. The majorities of physiologically active constituents are polar or water-soluble molecules. Herbal medications are beneficial when used properly, but they can be challenging to recognize, extract from and administer; as a result, adjustments are required to address these issues. The novel formulations of plant actives and extracts are reported to have notable benefits over traditional formulations. These benefits include increased solubility, bioavailability and toxicity protection; improved pharmacological activity; enhanced stability; improved tissue macrophage distribution; sustained delivery; and protection against physical and chemical degradation. NDDS encompasses a range of innovative delivery systems, including solid-lipid nanoparticles, transferosomes, phytosomes, microspheres, microemulsions and ethosomes. This review's goal is to provide an overview of several NDDS for the delivery of herbal medications.