Nano-Herbal and Targeted Drug Delivery Systems in Pregnancy
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract
Pregnancy-related conditions require medical interventions that are effective and safe for both maternal health and the developing fetus. Traditional drug delivery systems are often limited by poor bioavailability, rapid drug metabolism, insufficient concentration at the target site and an elevated risk of systemic side effects, which may reduce therapeutic efficacy during pregnancy. Many natural bioactive compounds are further hampered by low aqueous solubility, poor permeability and instability. The integration of nanotechnology with herbal therapies has enabled the development of nano-herbal targeted drug delivery systems using polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes and nanoemulsions that improve solubility, stability and controlled, site-specific release while reducing systemic toxicity and fetal drug exposure. Key botanicals such as curcumin, gingerol, quercetin and resveratrol exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiemetic and antidiabetic activity relevant to pregnancy care. Despite these advantages, nano-drug delivery systems face challenges including nanoparticle toxicity, maternal transfer, potential teratogenic risk, regulatory hurdles and limited clinical validation, which this chapter reviews from a maternal healthcare perspective.
Author Affiliations
- 1 Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, India.