Phytomolecules: A potential bioenhancer for pharmaceutical drugs

Abstract

Phyto-bioenhancer is an agent of herbal origin, which is capable of enhancing bio-availability and bio-efficacy of a particular drug or nutrient with which it is combined, without any typical pharmacological activity of its own at the dose used. These phyto-bioenhancers reduce the dose, decrease the treatment duration and increase the recovery rate. They also reduce the drug resistance or related adverse reactions which have economical implications in human, livestock and pet medicine. The main mechanisms involved for these phyto-bioenhancers are related to drug absorption i.e. effect on solubility, drug efflux and transport proteins, increased permeability in gastrointestinal system and drug metabolism i.e. inhibition/induction of drug metabolizing enzymes and thermogenic effect. The concept of bioenhancer is to achieve better therapeutic response in appropriate dose using phytomolecules like ginger, caraway, aloe, quercetin, glycyrrhizin piperine, curcumin etc. The use of phyto-bioenhancer is the most reliable means for bioavailability enhancement because these are safe, non-toxic, economical, easily procured, non-addictive, pharmacologically inert and non-allergenic in nature etc. Phyto-bioenhancers are used for various categories of drug like neutraceuticals, antibiotics, antitubercular, anticancer and cardiovascular for immediate effects. Therefore, there is a need to carry out extensive research on these phyto-bioenhancer so that they could be utilized in the marketed formulation in future prospective. Researchers must solve some issues of drug toxicity to deliver a safe and effective dose of drugs to attain desired pharmacological response.