Affiliation:
1. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, C.B.S.H., G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
Abstract
Cancer is amongst the leading public health problems globally with continuously increasing
prevalence rate that demands for extensive and expensive treatment. Despite availability of number
of potential cancer therapies, inadequate success has been achieved due to complexity and heterogeneity
of tumors. Moreover, late/ terminal stage cancer leads to multidrug resistance, excruciating
side effects, recurrence, etc. This is because of low penetrability and deleterious effects of drug on
non-target cells/ tissues. This requires for cost effective, efficacious, alternative/ adjunct, complementary
medicines with targeted drug delivery approach. A potential strategy to resolve this difficulty
is to use theranostics i.e., formulations having both a therapeutic element and an imaging agent.
Phytotherapeutics have been extensively used since times immemorial, having wide acceptability,
easy availability, minimal side effects and comparatively inexpensive. These herbal formulations are
mostly orally administered and thus subjected to adverse pH, enzymatic degradation, poor gut absorption,
low bioavailability and non-targeted delivery that ultimately lead to their poor effectiveness.
Constraints associated with conventional phyto-pharmaceuticals can be improved by designing
and using “Nano Delivery Systems” (NDS). The foremost aim of metal based NDS is to provide
sustained drug release, site-specific action, improved patient’s compliance and enhanced efficacy.
Metal Nanocarriers carrying herbal drugs will avoid these obstructions, so the drug can circulate into
the blood for a longer period of time and provide optimal amount of the drug to the site of action.
Besides, herbal drugs with NDS thus would be efficacious as alternative/ complementary cancer
theranostics. Present review describes novel theranostic systems employing metal nanocarriers with
diagnostic and therapeutic properties as an effective strategy for cancer treatment. These systems
when conjugated with herbal drugs provide an efficient management strategy for cancer.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Pharmaceutical Science,Biotechnology
Cited by
1 articles.
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