Phytosomes: An Emerging Herbal Drug Carrier System

Abstract

The expression “phyto” means plant while “some” means cell-like. Phytosomes are little cell like structure. It is frequently known as herbosomes. This is advanced forms of herbal formulations which contains the bioactive phytoconsituents of herb extract surrounds and bound by a lipid. Many of the bioactive constituents of phytomedicines are water-soluble compounds like flavonoids, glycosides; terpenoids in which flavonoids are a noteworthy class of bioactive compounds possesses broad therapeutic activities. Due to water soluble herbal extract and lipophilic outer layer phytosomes elicits better absorption and so improves bioavailability and actions than the conventional herbal extracts containing dosage form. The innovation has enhanced pharmacokinetics and pharmacological parameters. It has a lot of potential in the field of medicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Phytosome innovation has been effectively used to enhance the bioavailability of many popular herbal extracts including milk thistle, ginkgo biloba, grape seed, green tea, hawthorn, ginseng etc and can be developed for various therapeutic uses or dietary supplements. These drug-phospholipid complexes can be formulated in the form of solution, suspension, emulsion, syrup, lotion, gel, cream, aqueous microdispersion, pill, capsule, powder, granules and chewable tablet.