Dissecting the in vitro fate of plant-derived bioactive encapsulated nanoparticles in lung diseases

Lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer are prevalent worldwide, with high mortality rates. There are many pathways involved in the development of these diseases; if targeted, the conditions may be prevented and/or improved. Although current pharmacotherapies are available to treat various lung diseases, none act on all stages of disease progression. In recent years, plant-derived medicines have gained increasing attention as potential therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases. The in vitro effects of plant-derived bioactive agents such as resveratrol, quercetin, and liquorice for the treatment of asthma, COPD, and lung cancer, as well as their potential for translation into in vitro and clinical settings, are included in this review. Furthermore, the challenges associated with phytoconstituents delivery using conventional drug delivery systems is a significant challenge owing to their poor solubility, gastrointestinal degradation, poor bioavailability, poor drug loading as well as poor targeting. To overcome such challenges, various novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) have been developed by the researchers and in this review some of them including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and solid-liquid nanoparticles, are discussed. The literature reviewed in this manuscript suggests that plant-derived bioactive nanoparticles may have a promising potential as targeted therapeutic agents for lung diseases. Hence, understanding their in vitro fate is essential for their successful development and translation into clinical use.