Nanomedicine for Bioactives

Book excerpt: Nanotechnology is opening up new avenues in all scientific and technological fields. Among the novel applications, bioactives and nutraceuticals are fast-growing areas of nano research for better healthcare solutions. A variety of nanoformulations, such as polymeric nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanoemulsions, transferosomes and ethosomes, liposomes, lipospheres, and lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles have proved valuable in bioactive delivery and food materials. Further, new herbal drugs and nutraceuticals are reported to have remarkable advantages over conventional formulations of plant actives and extracts, including enhanced solubility, bioavailability, multiple drug delivery, greater stability, sustained delivery, improved tissue macrophage distribution, protection from toxicity, enhancement of pharmacological activity and protection from physical and chemical degradation. This book focuses on the advanced nanomaterials that are utilized for the encapsulation of nutrients/vitamin/phytoconstituents, as well as their other healthcare benefits.