Ginger: a representative material of herb-derived exosome-like nanoparticles

Abstract

Edible plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) provide numerous benefits, including high yield, low cost, ethical compatibility, and multiple health benefits, which enable them to address technical constraints associated with mammalian nanoparticles. Herbs, known for their abundant bioactive components, are considered the primary source of natural medicines within the plant kingdom. Recently, a number of herbaceous sources have been investigated for the isolation and functionality of exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs). However, they are commonly referred to as PELNs, and their distinct pharmacological properties are overlooked. In this review, these herb-derived ELNs are designated as HELNs, a novel herbal product that may also exhibit superior pharmacological activity compared to other types of PELNs. Among the documented HELNs, ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) are the most extensively studied. This review employs GELNs as an exemplar to delineate the process of extraction and purification, together with their physical and biochemical characteristics and therapeutic potential. The aim of this review is to promote the development and application of HELNs, and future research is encouraged to uncover their additional properties, extending beyond those of GELNs.

Isolation and characterization of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles from Carica papaya L. fruit and their potential as anti-inflammatory agent

“…From each plant source, the PDENs will have a different set of characteristics. Some examples include ginger PDENs size 250–400 nm, spherical morphology, and negatively charged [ 31 , 73 , 74 ], apple PDENs 100–200 nm and spherical [ 75 , 76 ], and grapefruit PDENs 105.7–396.1 nm and negatively charged [ 77 ].…”

Identifying the Potential of miRNAs in Houttuynia cordata-Derived Exosome-Like Nanoparticles Against Respiratory RNA Viruses

“…PELNs have been isolated from a variety of edible plants, primarily succulent fruits and vegetables; however, TCM has received less attention in this regard. 38 This neglect may stem from the fact that TCM is typically subject to high-temperature processing methods such as distillation or drying, which lead to the degradation of most PELNs and encapsulated miRNAs. Although miR2911 has been detected in honeysuckle decoction, its concentration is extremely low, at the femtomolar level, raising doubts about its effectiveness.…”

Exosomes as mediators of signal transmitters in biotoxins toxicity: a comprehensive review

“…Generally, they are extracted from edible plants, can be efficiently produced in large quantities, and can compensate for the limitations of mammal-derived exosomes, which have attracted more and more attention (Cao et al 2023 ). At present, there are exosomes from grape (Teng et al 2022 ), broccoli (Duan et al 2023 ), ginger (Zhu and He 2023 ), carrot (Mu et al 2014 ), and other sources (Record 2013 ), which are similar to general animal derived exosomes in terms of size distribution, morphology, and contents. They also have certain clinical applications.…”