Current trends in the production and biomedical applications of liposomes: a review

Abstract

A review of literature was carried out to determine methods of production of liposomes, their stability, biodistribution and their uses as drug delivery systems. The conventional method of preparing liposomes is basically for the multilamellar vesicles (MLVs). However, other methods are used to reduce the size of these MLVs to small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) so as to increase their plasma lifetime and consequently increase the possibility of achieving greater tissue localisation. Some of these methods of size reduction are sonication and high pressure extrusion. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), on the other hand, are prepared mainly by detergent removal method and reverse phase extrusion technique. There are also improved pharmacokinetic properties with liposomal drugs compared to free drugs, though some formulation factors affect the release kinetics of the liposomal drugs. The review also shows that liposomes have a lot of biomedical applications and uses. They have been used in drug targeting, oral delivery of vaccines, insulins, peptides and some compounds, which are usually degraded in the gastrointestinal tract. It has also found application in topical therapy especially in the eye and lungs. Other areas of application are in cancer chemotherapy and treatment of human immunovirus (HIV) infection. The control of the stability of liposomes is an essential prerequisite for effective use as drug carriers. Leakage of the liposome is attributable mainly to differences in lamellar structure. For instance, MLVs are less prone to leakage than ULVs. The use of a combination of saturated phospholipid and cholesterol in the formulation of the liposomes has also been found to enhance stability with lower tendency to leakage.

Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of camptothecin solid lipid nanoparticles on MCF7 cells

“…The hydrophobic nature of CPT assures high encapsulating efficiency when the lipid vesicles are placed in an aqueous biological environment due to their high lipid water partition coefficients. Although factors such as pH, lipid concentration, functional groups and ionic nature of the lipids affect loading efficiency permeability of the drug in the lipid vesicles and must also be considered (Peikov et al, 2005;Uhumwangho & Okor, 2005).…”

Dietary Phospholipids and Phytostrerols: A Review on Some Nigerian Vegetable Oils

“…In addition to their biological and technological role, PLs are used for several biomedical applications, such as emulsification in pharmaceuticals and the preparation of liposomes for cosmetics and drug delivery [82,83]. The normal dietary intake of phospholipids is 2-8 g per day, which represents 1-10% of total daily fat intake [84].…”

C vitamini, E vitamini ve polifenol ekstresi içeren lipozomların eldesi ve antioksidan aktivitelerinin karşılaştırılması

“…Tek bir tabakadan oluşan lipozomlarda sulu faz içteki bölümdür. Lipozomların yapısı farklı özellikte birçok maddeyi üzerinde taşımaya uygun olduğundan kullanımları giderek artmaktadır [6][7][8]. Bu çalışmada antioksidan moleküllerin değişik lipozom hazırlama yöntemleri ile lipozomlanması ve lipozom yapısında aktivitelerini koruyup korumadıklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır.…”