Bioenhancers in Herbal Medicine: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15662/IJRAI.2025.0806019Keywords:
Bioenhancers, herbal medicine, piperine, bioavailability, phytochemicals, metabolism inhibitors, herbal synergyAbstract
Bioenhancers function as bioavailability enhancers which are pharmacologically active agents that enhance drug bioavailability and efficacy when used together with medications while remaining inactive on their own target. Herbal bioenhancers have received significant attention during the last few decades because they are naturally derived substances with low toxicity and multiple action mechanisms. The metabolic enzymes and efflux transporters and gastrointestinal absorption of drugs can be modulated by the herbal constituents such as piperine from Piper nigrum, glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhiza glabra, and quercetin from various flavonoid-rich plants. The review describes herbal bioenhancer mechanisms while evaluating plant-derived absorption enhancers and their therapeutic applications for various drug classes. The increasing interest in polyherbal formulations and synergistic drug development creates new possibilities in clinical pharmacology and drug delivery through the study of bioenhancers in herbal medicine.
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