Edible plant-derived extracellular vesicles serve as promising therapeutic systems

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are natural nanocarriers characterized by a phospholipid bilayer structure, are released by living cells. They play a crucial role in the intercellular transport of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites, facilitating substance delivery and information exchange between cells. In light of recent numerous studies, EVs has been found to transcend their basic role as mere delivery vehicle. Instead, they demonstrate an impressive array of biological activities, displaying preventive and therapeutic potential in mitigating various pathological processes encompassing cancer, neoplastic proliferation, infectious diseases, and oxidative trauma. Particularly, EVs derived from edible plants (EPDEVs) have been emphasized for their extensive range of physiological regulatory functions in animals and humans, with the potential for targeted drug delivery through oral administration. Leveraging these advantages, EPDEVs are expected to have excellent competitiveness in clinical applications or preventive healthcare products. This review provides a brief overview of the biogenesis, structure, and composition of EPDEVs, and summarizes their biological functions and mechanisms. It also analyzes the methods for isolating and purifying plant-EVs, assessing their advantages and disadvantages; discusses the latest advancements in biomedical applications, and concludes with a prospective insight into the research and development directions of EPDEVs.