Innovative product development from the valorization of Cliinacanthus Nutans Lindau medicinal plant

Abstract

The increased public awareness to have safer and healthier therapies has led to a wide use of natural products and drugs derived from plants and, particularly, medicinal herbs. Medicinal plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds that possess significant therapeutic activity such as antioxidant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the application of the herbal medicines in pharmaceutical industry still faces huge challenges, particularly in terms of the efficiency of the delivery system. Therefore, an innovative study on the enhancement of the extraction and formulation of the herbal medicine is needed. In this thesis, the valorization of the medicinal plant Clinacanthus nutans (C. nutans) by the extraction of high-value compounds and the evaluation of their potential for pharmaceutical applications is studied. The investigation involved the extraction of phytochemical compounds, the formulation of the herbal extracts in dosage form by loading on porous aerogel matrix, and the determination of their bioavailability.