Phytoconsitutents As Bioenhancers: A Review
Chinnarao Pinisetti
University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab-140413, India.
Vimal Arora *
Department of Pharmacy, University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab-140413, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Bio-enhancers are the compounds that enhance the bioavailability of active pharmaceutical ingredients without itself having any pharmacological action. Most of them are of natural origin and do not have any side effects. They enhance the bioavailability by influencing variety of mechanisms involved in the drug action like penetration enhancement, improving metabolism, enzyme inhibition, drug targeting etc. Use of these compounds help to reduce the dose frequency which in turn reduces drug retention in turn causing the toxicity and it also helps in developing cost-effective products. Present days these are widely used to enhance the bioavailability of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antibiotic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular drugs etc and effective drug targeting. The present review is designed to emphasize the importance of certain phytoconstituents working as bio-enhancers, their classification and different mechanisms of their activity.
Keywords: Bioenhancer, bioavailability, drug targeting, piperine, quercetin, curcumin, emodin