Application of “nano” nutraceuticals in medicine

The use of nutraceuticals, in many forms, is a widespread practice whose roots date back to ancient civilizations. Since the beginning of their application, many efforts have been made to develop new way to formulate these components, in order to improve their efficacy. Against this background, nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool for nutraceutical delivery, being able to offer solutions to the main issues concerning nutraceutical formulation, and leading to the production of nanonutraceuticals which often showed improved characteristics (i.e., better bioavailability, solubility, targeted delivery) in comparison with the traditional counterparts. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the main nanotechnologies applied to deliver nutraceutical compounds, their effects, advantages, and issues. Moreover, regulatory and ethical concerns regarding nanonutraceutical use are delineated, together with future perspectives.