Nano-ayurvedic medicine is an emerging field in which nanoparticles are functionalized with active constituents from potent Ayurvedic herbs to enhance efficacy and enable targeted therapeutic delivery.
The research of the past two decades has begun to illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor potential of Ayurvedic herbs, largely linked to their secondary metabolites, including polyphenols and other active compounds. Thanks to the rise of nanotechnology, it has become possible to observe that nanoparticles optimized in terms of size, shape, and surface chemistry can serve as synergistic carriers for these phytochemicals. This is suggested by a study from the University of Mumbai Kalina Campus in Mumbai, India, published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.
The Tools of Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine
It primarily relies on herbs commonly used in Ayurveda to functionalize a variety of nanoparticles, thereby boosting efficacy and target specificity. The latest evidence appears to show that the active phytochemicals contained in Ayurvedic herbs, when coated with nanoparticles of metals such as gold or silver, activate and amplify the effects and benefits associated with the free plant extract, for example by helping to inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells.
Gold nanoparticles, in particular, have been extensively studied for their applications in cancer treatment and diagnosis, in what is today called “theranostics.” It has emerged that even when stabilized with common agents, such as citrate or other stabilizers, these aggregation-resistant nanoparticles display notable antitumor properties and intriguing mechanisms, including the ability to induce cell cycle arrest in various phases in pancreatic cancer cells.
Moreover, these same nanoparticles seem capable of attacking tumors both passively and actively, leveraging in the first case tumor defects, such as leaky vasculature (which allows nanoparticles to penetrate tumor tissues) and a dysfunctional lymphatic drainage system (which promotes retention of particles within the tumor).
Since only a fraction of injected nanoparticles reach and are retained at the tumor site through passive targeting, active targeting is underway using specific peptides and antibodies. For example, by conjugating therapeutic nanoparticles with an antibody that targets the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), it seems possible to target HER2-overexpressing breast cancers. Meanwhile, cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartate (cRGD) peptides could be attached to gold nanoparticles to engage α/β integrin receptors overexpressed in various tumors.
Among the latest research, a human clinical study based on Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) would support the antitumor potential of nano-ayurvedic formulations, suggesting this new therapeutic option as a potential treatment for hyperproliferative diseases, including cancers.
The Premises and Promises
As things stand, ecologically synthesized nano-ayurvedic formulations, including gold-based ones, could be largely free of dose-limiting toxicity for patients, offering potential assistance in the management of cancer patients. Some intriguing evidence ties gold-based nanomedicines to various benefits; the inertness and biocompatibility of gold, when coated with active constituents derived from medicinal plants, could substantially reduce side effects and also synergistically enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
Source
Lopus M. Nano-ayurvedic medicine and its potential in cancer treatment. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2023, 21(2):117-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2022.12.001.
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