EXPLORING ONION PEEL (ALLIUM CEPA) DERIVED HERBAL NANOCELLULOSE AS A GREEN NANOCARRIER FOR ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Smrutiranjan Dash, B. Meenal*

Inflammation leads to many chronic and acute diseases. This shows the need for safer and more effective drug delivery methods. This review looks at onion peel (allium cepa l.) As a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as quercetin, kaempferol, ferulic acid, and vanillic acid. It also investigates the use of nanocellulose from herbal and plant-based sources as an eco-friendly carrier for these anti-inflammatory compounds. Nanocellulose includes cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). It is biocompatible, has a large surface area, is biodegradable, and has surface chemistry that can be modified for better drug loading and stability. We examine the main inflammatory markers used for diagnosis and monitoring. We also discuss the pharmacological profile of the bioactive in onion peel and review green extraction methods. This review provides a strong scientific foundation for researchers exploring green nanotechnology, onion peel valorization, and herbal anti-inflammatory drug delivery.