Plant-Derived Natural Product-Based Nanoformulations for Healthcare Application.

Plants produce numerous natural compounds developed into commercial products. These compounds offer medicinal benefits for treating diseases like diabetes, neurological disorders, malaria, and cancer. They also serve as hepatoprotective agents and immunomodulators. These natural products are secondary metabolites that plants produce for their defense and adaptation. Recently, numerous reports have highlighted the effectiveness of natural products in different diseases. However, comprehensive analysis of plant-based products currently used in the clinical setting for various human diseases is insufficient. This review provides extensive information about the application of natural plant products in both clinical and preclinical settings. It highlights their role in developing drugs for human diseases. Additionally, these plant products could serve as diagnostic tools for various diseases. Plant-derived natural products, integrated with advanced nanotechnology-based approaches, could enhance healthcare monitoring without compromising treatment efficacy. Nanotechnology techniques employing both diagnostics and therapeutics, known as nanotheranostics, utilize engineered biocompatible nanomaterials with potential prospects for healthcare management. Nanomaterials like polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes offer diagnostic value by enabling real-time imaging of disease progression and treatment response. Functionalized with contrast agents or dyes, they enhance MRI, CT, PET, and fluorescence imaging, improving diagnosis, patient stratification, and monitoring of drug delivery and efficacy. With the increasing demand for natural dietary supplements, this issue encompasses the identification of various plant-based natural products as potential nanotheranostics with promising potential for chronic disorders such as cancer, neurological pathologies, diabetes, and immunological issues. This review focuses on applications of nanotheranostics utilizing natural products in biomedical applications, outlining the current breakthroughs, supplemented with future potentialities.