Lipid-based nanoformulations from plants for sustainable drug delivery

Recently, among greener possibilities, plant derivatives for lipid nanocarriers have received particular attention. Indeed, plant-derived materials represent a promising source to reduce the use of chemical reagents, thus enhancing safety, eco-friendliness, and limiting costs. Various plant-derived materials such as leaves, edible fruits, and seed oils have been reported in the literature for biomedical applications, food, and cosmetics. A valuable characteristic of such kind of nanostructures is the possibility to exploit the natural therapeutic properties of the plants by employing naturally formed lipid aggregates, or synthesizing carriers for encapsulation of adjuvant compounds. Finally, a further step toward more sustainable practices is the use of biomass waste as a starting source to produce nanoformulations. In particular, this last approach represents an added value for the current society which is increasingly projected toward sustainability and circular economy. This method allows us to avoid an impact on natural resources by using by-products, and to reintroduce them in a virtuous circle without the problem of their disposal.