International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology
Volume 16, Issue 5, 2026

Plant Extract-Mediated Metal Nanoparticles-A Novel Frontier in Anti-Cancer Nano medicine

Abhishek Thakur1, S Shehensha1

1 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, UIPS, Chandigarh University, Mohali-140413, Punjab, India

Received: 28th Feb, 2026; Revised: 6th March 2026; Accepted: 7th April, 2026; Available Online: 20th April, 2026

ABSTRACT

A promising, sustainable method for creating biocompatible nanomaterial with strong anticancer effects is the green (plant extract-mediated) synthesis of metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles. As reducing and stabilizing agents, plant phytochemicals produce nanoparticles (Ag, Au, ZnO, Se, iron oxide, and bimetallic formulations) with adjustable size, shape, and surface chemistry that affect cellular uptake, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. The benefits and drawbacks of plant-mediated metal nanoparticles (PMMNPs), safety and regulatory issues, synthesis techniques, physicochemical characterization, anticancer activity mechanisms, preclinical in vitro and in vivo data, and future directions to expedite translation into clinical Nano medicine are all compiled in this review.

Keywords: Green synthesis, plant extracts, silver nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, zinc oxide, anticancer, reactive oxygen species, bimetallic nanoparticles, nanomedicine.

How to cite this article: Thakur A, Shehensha S. Plant Extract-Mediated Metal Nanoparticles-A Novel Frontier in Anti-Cancer Nano medicine. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(5): 20-30. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.5.4

Source of support: Nil.

Conflict of interest: None