Advances in Nano-formulated Polyphenols for Protection against Cardiovascular diseases

In the past decade, a plethora of research has revealed numerous biological effects of polyphenols, most significantly anti-cancer and anti-microbial. These versatile, naturally occurring compounds have attracted growing interest among researchers owing to their crucial role in modifying disease progression associated with almost all of the body's vital systems, including the cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems. However, poor water solubility and rapid metabolism result in low bioavailability, which is a critical limitation to their clinical use. Nanotechnology is one promising approach that has served to maximize the therapeutic potential of polyphenols. Incorporation of sensitive polyphenolic compounds into nanocarriers protects them from physiological degradation, facilitates prolonged release, improves bioavailability and allows targeted drug delivery. There is emerging evidence that nanomedicine could provide a solution to the poor pharmacokinetics of polyphenols and enhance their treatment efficacy. This review focuses on the various nanoparticle-based delivery systems that have been developed for the entrapment of these hydrophobic molecules and circumvent the pitfalls of poor systemic availability with an emphasis on their application in cardiovascular disorders. It elucidates recent developments in nanotechnology that could not only be imperative to cardiovascular disease alleviation but also in resolving issues of safety and specificity associated with these molecules. It also highlights the improved physicochemical properties and possible molecular mechanisms of some major polyphenols administered as nano-formulations and describes the results of in-vitro and in-vivo studies carried out in animal models of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).