Phytosomes: A Current Trend for Enhancement of Bioavailability of Polar Phytoconstituents

Now a day the use of herbal medicines has been increased all over the world due to their excellent and miraculous therapeutic effects and fewer side effects as compared to the modern medicines. Most of phytoconstituents of herbal extracts are water soluble and poorly miscible with oils and other lipids. Lipid solubility and molecular size of phytoconstituents are the major limiting factors for molecule to pass the biological membrane to be absorbed systemically following the oral or topical administration. The bioavailability of phytoconstituents can be increased by use of novel drug delivery system, which can increase the phytoconstituents solubility in gastrointestinal fluid as well as capacity to cross lipid rich biological membrane. Complexation of phytoconstituents with phospholipids or phosphotidylcholine results in novel drug delivery system called Phytosomes. The term phytosomes is coined from two different terms: 'phyto' meaning plant and 'some' meaning cell like. Phytosomes are small in size and are cell like structures. The phytosome technology creates intermolecular bonding between individual polyphenol molecules and one or more molecules of the phosphatidylcholine or phospholipids. A Phytosome of herbal extract is generally more bioavailable than a simple herbal extract due to its enhanced capacity to cross the lipid-rich biomembranes. Phytosomes exhibits excellent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynemic profile. Phytosomes can be formulated in the form of tablet, capsule, solution, suspension, emulsion, syrup. This article reviews the current trend and applications of herbal extract phytosomes as a tool of novel drug delivery system.