A Comprehensive Review: Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Greatly Improve Pharmacological Effectiveness of Phytoconstituent in Plant Extracts

Medicinal plants are increasingly being explored due to their possible pharmacological properties and minimal adverse effects. However, low bioavailability and stability often limit efficacy, necessitating high oral doses to achieve therapeutic levels in the bloodstream. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) offer a potential solution to these limitations. Due to their large surface area, substantial pore volume, and ability to precisely control pore size. MSNs are also capable of efficiently incorporating a wide range of therapeutic substances, including herbal plant extracts, leading to potential use for drug containment and delivery systems. Therefore, this review aimed to discuss and summarize the successful developments of herbal plant extracts loaded into MSN, focusing on preparation, characterization, and the impact on efficacy. Data were collected from publications on Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases using the precise keywords "mesoporous silica nanoparticle" and "herbal extract". The results showed that improved phytoconstituent bioavailability, modified release profiles, increased stability, reduced dose and toxicity are the primary benefits of this method. This review offers insights on the significance of integrating MSNs into therapeutic formulations to improve pharmacological characteristics and effectiveness of medicinal plant extracts. Future prospects show favorable potential for therapeutic applications using MSNs combined with herbal medicines for clinical therapy.