Current Trends in Target-Specific Delivery of Phytomedicine: A Possible Strategy for Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a leading source of illness and mortality around the world. Despite the fact that primary cancer treatment has considerably reduced cancer mortality, the survival rate remains low due to tumour metastasis, a variety of adverse medication responses, and drug resistance. Alternative medicines, particularly herbal medications, have piqued the interest of scientists due to their high efficacy and low toxicity. However, their limited water solubility, low stability, poor absorption, and quick metabolism limit their therapeutic usefulness. Due to these constraints, the focus of phytocancer therapy has switched to tailored drug delivery systems. Nanomedicine, which involves using nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles to boost the therapeutic benefits of phytochemicals, has a wide range of uses in cancer treatment. Many challenges in drug delivery to cancer cells can be overcome by using nanoparticulate drug carriers, including improved solubility and bioavailability, drug targeting, reducing adverse effects in non-target organs, high efficacy, low drug resistance, and high drug concentration at the tumour site. The present review entails the most recent advancements in anticancer phytodrug delivery employing nanocarrier-based technologies.

Keywords: Anti-cancer, Cytotoxicity, Drug delivery system, Nanotechnology, Phytochemicals.