A Review on the Delivery of Plant-Based Antidiabetic Agents Using Nanocarriers: Current Status and Their Role in Combatting Hyperglycaemia

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent metabolic syndrome that is associated with high blood glucose levels. The number of diabetic patients is increasing every year and the total number of cases is expected to reach more than 600 million worldwide by 2045. Modern antidiabetic drugs alleviate hyperglycaemia and complications that are caused by high blood glucose levels. However, due to the side effects of these drugs, plant extracts and bioactive compounds with antidiabetic properties have been gaining attention as alternative treatments for diabetes. Natural products are biocompatible, cheaper and expected to cause fewer side effects than the current antidiabetic drugs. In this review, various nanocarrier systems are discussed, such as liposomes, niosomes, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles and metallic nanoparticles. These systems have been applied to overcome the limitations of the current drugs and simultaneously improve the efficacy of plant-based antidiabetic drugs. The main challenges in the formulation of plant-based nanocarriers are the loading capacity of the plant extracts and the stability of the carriers. A brief review of lipid nanocarriers and the amphipathic properties of phospholipids and liposomes that encapsulate hydrophilic, hydrophobic and amphiphilic drugs is also described. A special emphasis is placed on metallic nanoparticles, with their advantages and associated complications being reported to highlight their effectiveness for treating hyperglycaemia. The present review could be an interesting paper for researchers who are working in the field of using plant extract-loaded nanoparticles as antidiabetic therapies.

The Healing Touch of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Fennel): A Review on Its Medicinal Value and Health Benefits

“…In vivo studies on hyperglycemic rats confirm its potent anti-hyperglycemic action, associated with increased peroxidase activity and glutathione levels as antioxidants (27) (28). Nanoemulsion of fennel essential oil significantly reduces blood glucose concentration (28), while a water-soluble fennel extract in diabetic rats not only decreases blood glucose but also exhibits a high inhibitory concentration of 50% radicals (29). Furthermore, the combined use of F. vulgare and black cumin in female patient food significantly impacts body composition (BMI) and saturated fat levels (30).…”

Therapeutic strategy of biological macromolecules based natural bioactive compounds of diabetes mellitus and future perspectives: A systematic review

“…Still, their use is constrained by poor solubility, permeability, physiological instability, low bioavailability, and less-than-ideal flavor profiles (such as bitterness) [ 44 ]. Drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology have been investigated to see whether they can circumvent these drawbacks [ [45] , [46] , [47] , [48] , [49] , [50] , [51] , [52] , [53] , [54] ]. Nanostructured drug delivery devices have superior physicochemical and biological features to their microscale counterparts [ [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] , [42] ].…”

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“…The application of herbal bioactive constituents and extracts in phytopharmaceuticals is still limited due to certain factors, such as unfavorable taste (e.g., bitterness), low solubility, poor permeability, physiological instability, and low bioavailability. [28,29] To overcome these limitations, nanotechnological approaches have been explored as drug delivery mechanisms. Nanostructured drug delivery systems exhibit better physicochemical and biological properties than microscale drug delivery systems.…”