Toxoplasmosis caused by the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii remains a notable health burden on animals and humans worldwide. Various chemical drugs have been utilized to treat T. gondii infections but are noted by low efficacy, high side effects, and high drug resistance. Such limitations necessitate the development of new therapeutic approaches to combat parasitic infections. Targeted drug delivery by nanoparticles (NPs) specifically by green synthesized NPs has been shown to be an effective technique for overcoming these limitations. Various NPs synthesized from different parts of plants, fungi, and bacteria offer better biodegradable, biocompatible, and environmentally friendly alternatives compared to traditional drug carriers. Such bioengineered NPs improve drug solubility, extended circulation time, and improve controlled release of drugs at the site of interest. In addition, they have a potential therapeutic effect because of their inherent physiochemical character with less toxicity. Their drug action can also be augmented through surface modification and functionalization, size and shape engineering, nano-carrier hybridization, gene silencing, and combination therapy. Targeted drug delivery using green synthesized NPs opens up a new avenue in T. gondii treatment towards the development of safer and more environmentally friendly therapeutic approaches.

To Cite This Article: Alshamrani M, 2025. Targeted drug delivery with green nanoparticles: a new frontier in toxoplasma gondii infection treatment. Pak Vet J, 45(1): 84-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.140