Novel formulations of hesperidin for antitumor, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective effects: A review

Hesperidin as a flavanone glycoside has various pharmacological activities. This phytoactive compound can damage the cell wall of bacteria and lead to a leakage of bacterial macromolecules by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Modulating cell cycle arrest, antiangiogenic, apoptosis, DNA repair, and antimetastatic have been indicated as the significant anticancer mechanisms of this flavanoglycone. Hesperidin in combination with anticancer drugs can be used as an adjuvant therapy. The neuroprotective activity of hesperidin resulted from the reduction of 5-HT/IL-β/TNF-α and the increase of BDNF/NE levels in the hippocampal. Moreover, neuropathologic degeneration and spinal cord injury-induced motor dysfunction may be ameliorated by the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism of hesperidin via the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway. An effective micro- or nano-delivery system of hesperidin is required to reach its therapeutic target owing to the poor solubility and bioavailability of this bioactive agent. In this review, we have presented recent findings about novel micro- and nano-formulations of hesperidin.