01 Oca 2026 Perşembe
From hive to healing: Zanthoxylum-medicated honey nanoparticles for anticancer applications
Abstract : Cancer continues to be a significant global health issue, making it imperative to establish safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. Traditional herbal medicine, such as the Zanthoxylum species, contains powerful anticancer bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, and terpenoids; however, it is challenged by limited solubility, inadequate bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and unpredictable pharmacokinetics in clinical translation. Honey, a natural biopolymeric matrix with antioxidant, immuno-modulatory, and cytoprotective capabilities, presents itself as an effective synergistic carrier for bioactive compounds. With the integration of nanotechnology into the Zanthoxylum medicated honey system, it can help address clinical challenges while allowing controlled release, elevated stability, improved bioavailability, and targeted delivery of herbal compounds, which will ensure patient safety and less side effects like contemporary cancer therapies. Such integration will bridge ancient medicine and contemporary nanotechnology, opening new pathways towards more humane and effective cancer treatments that will be patient-centric. However, to translate their potential clinically, there are existing barriers that need to be addressed, including standardization of different herbal extracts, nanoparticle stability, safety and toxicity assessments, and regulatory implications. This review serves to demonstrate the progression of the science of nano-enabled herbal medicine to further explain its mechanistic basis in cancer therapies while also underlining the future aspects.