Plant-derived extracellular vesicles for cancer therapy: Biological features, therapeutic mechanisms and pharmaceutical applications.
Wei Z, Yang J, Wei Y, Li S, Tao J
Medicinal Plants
Ginger roots, grapes, and broccoli in your garden produce microscopic particles that researchers are harvesting to deliver cancer drugs — meaning the plants you grow may one day contribute directly to treatments with fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy.
Plants constantly release incredibly tiny bubble-like particles that carry a cargo of their natural compounds, fats, and genetic material. Scientists have discovered these particles can naturally attack cancer cells, and because they come from plants, they're much gentler on the body than many synthetic drug carriers. Researchers are now engineering these plant particles to carry additional medicines, essentially turning them into precise drug delivery vehicles for cancer treatment.
Key Findings
Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs) carry multiple bioactive cargoes — proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and secondary metabolites — giving them inherent anticancer activity without any engineering
PDEVs show favorable biocompatibility compared to synthetic nanoparticles, making them promising candidates for clinical translation with potentially fewer adverse effects
PDEVs can be loaded with additional therapeutic cargo, enabling them to function as multifunctional drug delivery platforms that combine intrinsic plant bioactivity with engineered therapeutic payloads
chevron_right Technical Summary
Tiny particles naturally released by plants carry medicinal compounds that can fight cancer cells — and scientists are now engineering these plant-made nanoparticles to deliver drugs more safely and effectively than many synthetic systems.
Abstract Preview
Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs) are nanoscale particles isolated from plant tissues that carry proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and secondary metabolites, and function as mediators of i...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Ancient DNA Reveals Pre-Columbian Amazonian Forest Management at Scale
Forests and fruits we romanticize as wild — including many plants now in our kitchens and gardens — may exist in their current abundance precisely because an...
Plant signaling encompasses the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which plants perceive and respond to environmental changes, hormonal signals, and stress conditions. These signaling pathways regulate fundamental biological processes including growth, development, nutrient acquisition, and
arrow_forward Explore topic