Bioactive-loaded nanocarriers in management of health and disease

Traditional medicine uses medicinal plants and their derived products to treat health issues. Bioactives, available in crude extract, fraction, or isolate, have potential health benefits but face challenges like low solubility, high molecular weight, poor permeability, absorption, degradation, and high dose requirements. Bioactives' poor bioavailability hinders clinical outcomes. Nanotechnology offers a solution by improving solubility, bioavailability, dose reduction, and side effects of bioactives. Nanocarriers like micro-and nanoemulsions, emulsions, liposomes, nanosuspensions, dendrimers, and micelles show promise in effective bioactive delivery. These nanocarriers offer advantages such as small size, large surface area, and high loading efficiency, overcoming the limitations associated with poorly soluble and hydrophilic drugs. Additionally, plant-derived nanocarriers have demonstrated superior therapeutic potential compared to chemically derived products. They have demonstrated promise in cancer prevention and treatment, a potential solution for mental illness by addressing neurotransmitter imbalances without side effects. In Alzheimer's disease, natural compounds like curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin show neuroprotective properties, delivered to the brain using nanosized systems. This chapter explores the use of nanocarriers like nanoemulsions, liposomes, nanosuspensions, dendrimers, and micelles for plant-based bioactive delivery, focusing on their potential in managing chronic diseases.