Augmentation of Herbal Potential by Nanoformulation Approaches

Nano technology is a multidisciplinary field, which recently has emerged as one of the most promising fields in drug therapy. Nano technology is definitely a medical boon for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of several diseases. It supports and expands the scientific advances in genomic and proteomics. The various nanotechnological approaches like miceller encapsulation, nanoemulsion, nanocrystallization can be used in converting herbal constituents to the nanoform and their application can be evaluated. We have converted many herbal constituents and evaluated them for variety of afflictions and indications in animal models.

In order to prepare nanoherbal formulations we have selected certain medicinally important herbal compounds like Curcumin, Berberine, Piperine, Thymoquinone, Safranal, Resveratrol and Artemisinin. These constituents were encapsulated in polymeric micelles of biocompatible polymers and were characterized by DLS (Dynamic light Scattering), TEM (Transmission electron micrograph), IR and NMR which confirms a highly mono disperse size distribution less then of 50nm range. These polymers not only keep these compounds in nano range but also enhance their stability against pH and temperature. These herbal compounds loaded polymeric micelles were made targetable to the desired site in the body by coating their surfaces with suitable surfactants or chemical moieties. Nanocurcumin showed comparable in-vivo therapeutic efficacy to free curcumin in animal model for liver cirrhosis, brain stroke and visceral leshmaniasis. Similarly Berberine, Piperine & Artemisinin were also converted to nanoform and found to be effective in animal models of visceral leshmaniasis. These results confirm the importance of nanoformulation approaches for augmenting potential of herbal constituents.