COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF NANOENCAPSULATED POMEGRANATE BIOACTIVES VERSUS CONVENTIONAL CHEMOPREVENTIVE STRATEGIES
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, necessitating the development of effective and safe chemopreventive strategies. Conventional agents such as selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy; however, their long-term use is often limited by adverse effects, resistance, and reduced patient compliance. In this context, natural bioactives derived from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), including ellagic acid, punicalagin, and anthocyanins, have gained attention due to their potent antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and anti-proliferative properties. Despite promising preclinical evidence, the therapeutic application of these compounds is hindered by poor solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid metabolism. Nanoencapsulation has emerged as a promising approach to overcome these limitations by enhancing stability, improving pharmacokinetic profiles, enabling targeted delivery, and providing controlled drug release. This review presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of nanoencapsulated pomegranate bioactives and conventional chemopreventive agents in the context of breast cancer prevention. Evidence indicates that nanoformulated pomegranate compounds exhibit superior cellular uptake, enhanced modulation of oncogenic signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt and NF-?B, and improved in vivo efficacy with reduced systemic toxicity. Furthermore, nanoencapsulation facilitates both passive and active targeting, thereby increasing therapeutic precision and minimizing off-target effects. Compared to conventional agents, nanoencapsulated bioactives offer a multi-targeted and safer alternative suitable for long-term chemoprevention. However, challenges related to largescale production, regulatory approval, and clinical validation remain significant barriers to translation. Overall, the integration of nanotechnology with natural product-based therapeutics represents a promising strategy for advancing breast cancer chemoprevention, with the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce disease burden.