Nanotechnology: an effective tool for enhancing bioavailability and bioactivity of phytomedicine

To achieve the desired therapeutic objective, the drug product must deliver the active drug at an optimal rate and amount. By proper biopharmaceutic design, the rate and extent of drug absorption (also called as bioavailability) or the systemic delivery of drugs to the body can be varied from rapid and complete absorption to slow and sustained absorption depending upon the desired therapeutic objective. Phytomedicine have served as the foundation for a larger fraction of the current pharmacopeia. But the delivery of phytomedicine is always problematic due to poor aqueous solubility, poor permeation, low systemic availability, instability and extensive first pass metabolism. Current review will discuss in detail about how nanotechnology can enhance the bioavilability and bioactivity of the phytomedicine