Nanophytomedicines as an Emerging Platform for Drug Delivery: Nanoapplications in Drug and Gene Delivery

A smart drug nanocarrier system is an excellent way to deliver therapeutic agents such as drugs, genes and/or phytomedicines to a desired area in specified amounts for a prolonged time. Also, it can provide required drug levels in plasma and tissue, hence this carrier system could improve the maximum therapeutic efficacy with reduced drug- and dose-related side effects to healthy tissue. In this chapter, the present work on phytomedicines, gene applications and the delivery via nanocarriers is reviewed and the strength and weakness of nanocarriers in drug targeting and delivery with different nanocarriers is outlined. Metallic nanocarriers are found to be more efficient and have many theragnostic applications in drug delivery to various cancers, brain targeting and in the treatment of diabetes. This chapter particularly focuses on silver nanoparticles and their application in drug delivery since this carrier molecule has therapeutic effects and provides many possible ways for surface modifications for safe and effective treatment.