Plant-derived extracellular vesicles as nanocarriers for combination therapy enhancing paclitaxel-based regimens in breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortalityworldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents uniquechallenges owing to its aggressiveness and limited treatmentoptions. Paclitaxel-based chemotherapy is widely used in breastcancer treatment. However, its efficacy is often limited by toxicity,multidrug resistance, and lack of targeted delivery. Inresponse to these challenges, recent studies have focused on theuse of extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly plant-derivedEVs, as innovative drug delivery systems capable of enhancingtherapeutic outcomes and reducing adverse effects. Plant-derivedEVs offer significant advantages owing to their biocompatibility,low immunogenicity, and scalability. They provide anatural platform for delivering chemotherapeutics such aspaclitaxel and doxorubicin directly to tumor cells. This reviewexplores the therapeutic potential of plant-derived EVs inbreast cancer treatment, focusing on TNBC by examining theirability to improve drug stability, bioavailability, and selectivetargeting of cancer cells. Key studies on EVs derived fromplants such as grapefruit, ginger, and tea leaves have demonstratedtheir capacity to deliver chemotherapeutic agents effectivelywhile mitigating common side effects associated withconventional delivery methods. Although the use of plantderivedEVs is still in early stages of research, findings suggestthat that these nanocarriers can serve as transformative tools inoncology, providing a versatile and efficient platform for precisecancer treatment. This review highlights current landscape ofresearch on plant-derived EVs, their application in breast cancertherapy, and future directions required to translate thesefindings into clinical practice.