NANO AYURVEDA: MODERNIZING HERBAL MEDICINE

Manish Madli*, Kadambari Ghatpande, Diya Gawade, Varsha Ghotkule

Nanotechnology has surfaced as a revolutionary mechanism for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of Ayurvedic herbal medicines by augmenting their solubility, stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery. For centuries, traditional Ayurvedic formulations—including bhasmas, herbo-mineral combinations, and polyherbal extracts—have fundamentally employed micro- to nanoscale processing techniques. Contemporary nanocarriers such as nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, nanogels, nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanoliposomes, nanomicelles, and dendrimers provide sophisticated platforms for delivering phytoconstituents with enhanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. This article offers a comprehensive review of nanotechnological methods applied to key therapeutic areas, including cognitive enhancement, antidiabetic treatment, cancer therapy, heart protection, anti-inflammatory purposes, liver protection, immune system modulation, stress management, and skin care/wound healing strategies. For each area, significant Ayurvedic herbs are examined alongside refined nanoformulation methods like phytosomes, polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanoemulsions, and nanoparticles produced via green synthesis. Evaluation criteria such as particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release, stability, and pharmacological assessments are compiled to guarantee scientific validation. Ultimately, the fusion of Ayurvedic insights with nanotechnology—termed “Nano-Ayurveda”—offers a promising path toward developing safe, effective, and widely accepted phytopharmaceuticals with enhanced therapeutic effectiveness.