多年来，细胞外囊泡（EV）研究得到了显著扩展。所有活生物中都已经发现了EVs，它们作为细胞间通信或防御机制的一种方式而产生和释放。最近，成功地从可食用植物来源中分离出了纳米级囊泡。这里所指的植物源EVs被称为植物体，其直径被报告为30nm至120nm，与小型哺乳动物细胞外囊泡相似，并携带着各种生物活性分子，如mRNA、蛋白质、miRNA和脂质。由于有很多植物可用，植物体可以容易地大规模分离。用于哺乳动物细胞EV分离的方法已成功应用于植物体的分离和纯化。关于植物体在不同疾病模型（如炎症和自身免疫性疾病）上的治疗作用已有报道，并且少数研究显示它们在癌症疾病上的治疗作用。总体而言，植物体的研究仍处于初级阶段，需要更多探索。本综述将详述来源于可食用植物的植物体的抗癌活性和特征，以及利用植物体作为癌症药物传递载体的研究，并最终旨在显著减少传统治疗方法所伴随的不良反应。

Extracellular vesicle (EV) research has expanded substantially over the years. EVs have been identified in all living organisms and are produced and released as a means of intercellular communication or as a defense mechanism. Recently, nano-scaled vesicles were successfully isolated from edible plant sources. Plant-derived EVs, referred to here as phytosomes, are of a size reported to range between 30 nm and 120 nm in diameter, similar to small mammalian extracellular vesicles, and carry various bioactive molecules such as mRNA, proteins, miRNA and lipids. Due to the availability of many plants, phytosomes can be easily isolated on a large scale. The methods developed for EV isolation from mammalian cells have been successfully applied for isolation and purification of phytosomes. The therapeutic effects of phytosomes on different disease models, such as inflammation and autoimmune disease, have been reported, and a handful of studies have suggested their therapeutic effects on cancer diseases. Overall, the research on phytosomes is still in its infancy and requires more exploration. This review will narrate the anti-cancer activity and characteristics of phytosomes derived from edible plants as well as describe studies which have utilized phytosomes as drug delivery vehicles for cancer with the ultimate objective of significantly reducing the adverse effects associated with conventional therapeutic approaches.