Author(s):
V. T. Iswariya, Deshapaka Pravallika, T.Rama Rao
Email(s):
iswariyapharma@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00272
Address:
V. T. Iswariya1, Deshapaka Pravallika2, T.Rama Rao3
1Assistant Professor, Dept of pharmaceutics, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
2Dept of pharmaceutics, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
3Professor and Principal, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 19,
Issue - 4,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
By building intricate structures with phospholipids, phytosomes are a sort of drug delivery mechanism that increases the bioavailability of phytoconstituents, such as plant extracts or bioactive chemicals. The purpose of these complexes is to increase the medicinal efficiency of weakly water-soluble phytoconstituents by improving their solubility and absorption. The Greek terms "Phyto," which means plant, and "soma," which means body, are the source of the phrase "Phyto some." Phytosome technology is the method by which plant extracts or phytoconstituents are conjugated with phospholipids to form phytosomes. The inclusion of phospholipids, which are naturally occurring chemicals that play a significant role in cell membranes, in phytosomes helps to replicate the body's normal lipid composition, which improves the integration and absorption of the phytoconstituents. Because of their potential advantages, which include enhanced bioavailability, stability, and targeted administration of bioactive substances, phytosomes have found widespread application in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical industries. Because of the improved absorption through cell membranes made possible by the phospholipid complexation, phytosomes are a useful tactic for getting around the restrictions brought on by the low water solubility of many plant extracts. According to research, phytosomes can improve the medicinal properties of a variety of plant extracts, which can help create new formulations for the treatment of different medical diseases. To sum up, phytosomes offer a novel way to improve the effectiveness and bioavailability of substances derived from plants, opening up a promising new direction for the creation of sophisticated medication delivery systems and herbal formulations.
Cite this article:
V. T. Iswariya, Deshapaka Pravallika, T.Rama Rao. Phytosomes: A Prodigious Prospective Drug Delivery System. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(4):1896-0. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00272
Cite(Electronic):
V. T. Iswariya, Deshapaka Pravallika, T.Rama Rao. Phytosomes: A Prodigious Prospective Drug Delivery System. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(4):1896-0. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00272 Available on: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-4-61
REFERENCES:
1. Alexander A, Patel RJ, Saraf S, Saraf S. Recent expansion of pharmaceutical nanotechnologies and targeting strategies in the field of phytopharmaceuticals for the delivery of herbal extracts and bioactives. Journal of Controlled Release. 2016 Nov 10; 241: 110-24.
2. Goyal A, Kumar S, Nagpal M, Singh I, Arora S. Potential of novel drug delivery systems for herbal drugs. Indian Journal of pharmaceutical education and research. 2011 Jul 1; 45(3): 225-35.
3. Gandhi A, Dutta A, Pal A, Bakshi P. Recent trends of phytosomes for delivering herbal extract with improved bioavailability. J. Pharmacogn. Phytochem. 2012 Nov 1; 1(4): 6-14.
4. Alharbi WS, Almughem FA, Almehmady AM, Jarallah SJ, Alsharif WK, Alzahrani NM, Alshehri AA. Phytosomes as an emerging nanotechnology platform for the topical delivery of bioactive phytochemicals. Pharmaceutics. 2021 Sep 15; 13(9): 1475.
5. Chacko IA, Ghate VM, Dsouza L, Lewis SA. Lipid vesicles: A versatile drug delivery platform for dermal and transdermal applications. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2020 Nov 1; 195: 111262.
7. Tedesco D, Steidler S, Galletti S, Tameni M, Sonzogni O, Ravarotto L. Efficacy of silymarin-phospholipid complex in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chicks. Poultry Science. 2004 Nov 1; 83(11): 1839-43.
8. Chaudhary K, Rajora A. Phytosomes: a critical tool for delivery of herbal drugs for cancer: Phytosomes: Advancing Herbal Medicine Delivery. Phytochemistry Reviews. 2025 Feb; 24(1): 165-95.
9. Jose MM, Bombardelli E. Pharmaceutical compositions containing flavanolignans and phospholipida active principles. US Patent EPO209037. 1987.
10. Kidd PM. Bioavailability and activity of phytosome complexes from botanical polyphenols: the silymarin, curcumin, green tea, and grape seed extracts. Altern Med Rev. 2009 Sep 1; 14(3): 226-46.
11. Ghanbarzadeh B, Babazadeh A, Hamishehkar H. Nano-phytosome as a potential food-grade delivery system. Food Bioscience. 2016 Sep 1; 15: 126-35.
12. Jiang YN, Yu ZP, Yang ZM, Chen JM. Studies on preparation of herba epimedii total flavonoids phytosomes and their pharmaceutics. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi= Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi= China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica. 2001 Feb 1; 26(2): 105-8.
13. Tripathy S, Patel DK, Barob L, Naira SK. A review on phytosomes, their characterization, advancement and potential for transdermal application. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2013 May 13; 3(3): 147-52.
14. Jain PK, Khurana N, Pounikar Y, Gajbhiye A, Kharya MD. Enhancement of absorption and hepatoprotective potential through soya-phosphatidylcholine-andrographolide vesicular system. Journal of Liposome Research. 2013 Jun 1; 23(2): 110-8.
15. Jadhav SM, Morey P, Karpe MM, Kadam V. Novel vesicular System: an overview. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science. 2012 Jan 30(Issue): 193-202.
16. Demir B, Barlas FB, Guler E, Gumus PZ, Can M, Yavuz M, Coskunol H, Timur S. Gold nanoparticle loaded phytosomal systems: synthesis, characterization and in vitro investigations. RSC advances. 2014; 4(65): 34687-95.
17. Raina H, Soni G, Jauhari N, Sharma N, Bharadvaja N. Phytochemical importance of medicinal plants as potential sources of anticancer agents. Turkish Journal of Botany. 2014; 38(6): 1027-35.
18. Shalini S, Kumar RR, Birendra S. Antiproliferative effect of Phytosome complex of Methanolic extact of Terminalia arjuna bark on Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines (MCF-7). Int J Drug Dev Res. 2015; 7(1): 173-82.
19. Gandhi A, Dutta A, Pal A, Bakshi P. Recent trends of phytosomes for delivering herbal extract with improved bioavailability. J. Pharmacogn. Phytochem. 2012 Nov 1; 1(4): 6-14.
20. Raju TP, Reddy MS, Reddy VP. Phytosomes: a novel phyto-phospholipid carrier for herbal drug delivery. International Research Journal of Pharmacy. 2011; 2(6): 28-33.
21. Kalita B, Das MK, Sharma AK. Novel phytosome formulations in making herbal extracts more effective. Research Journal of pharmacy and technology. 2013; 6(11): 1295-301.
22. Mukherjee PK, Wahile A. Integrated approaches towards drug development from Ayurveda and other Indian system of medicines. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2006 Jan 3; 103(1): 25-35.