Research and Reports in Medical Sciences

The first vaccine vial was developed a few centuries ago, and it has resulted in a significant reduction in infectious disease morbidity and mortality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the discovery of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease, as well as its steady progression to a global pandemic with confirmed cases and reported deaths, was extremely catastrophic. This resulted in an unexpected need for preventative and cost-effective measures to mitigate the virus's devastating impact, followed by accelerated competition among pharmaceutical behemoths to manufacture and dispense vaccines at an exponential rate. Non-pharmaceutical medications, such as mandated face mask policies, travel restrictions, and widespread disinfectant use, were somewhat effective in mitigating the catastrophic effect.

Phytochemicals, also known as secondary metabolites, are plant-produced substances that have been shown to have a wide range of biological activities, providing a scientific basis for the use of herbs in traditional medicine. Furthermore, the use of herbs is thought to be safer and less expensive than synthetic medicine. Herbal medicines, on the other hand, have drawbacks such as low solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Some of them can degrade physically and chemically, reducing their pharmacological activity. Nanotechnology-based herbal drug formulations have attracted attention in recent decades due to their increased activity and potential for overcoming the problems associated with herbal medicine. Approaches that use biocompatible, biodegradable nanotechnology-based delivery systems based on lipids, polymers, or Nano emulsions can improve the solubility, stability, bioavailability, and pharmacological activity of herbals. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of the most recent advances in the development of nanotechnology-based herbal drug formulations for increased activity, as well as a summary of the challenges that these herbal medicine delivery systems face.