A BRIEF REVIEW ON LIPOSOME – AS DRUG CARRIER

Abstract

Liposomes have received a lot of attention during the last three decades as pharmaceutical carriers of great potential. Their merit lies in their composition, which makes them biocompatible and biodegradable. They have an aqueous core entrapped by one or more layers composed of natural or synthetic lipids. Liposomes composed of natural phospholipids are biologically inert and non-immunogenic. Moreover, drugs with different HLB value can be incorporated into liposomes: strongly lipophilic drugs are entrapped almost completely in the lipid bilayer, strongly hydrophilic drugs are located exclusively in the aqueous compartment, and drugs with intermediate lipophilicity easily partition between the lipid and aqueous phases, both in the bilayer and in the aqueous core. Liposomes are now used to deliver certain vaccines, enzymes and drugs to the body. When used in cancer therapy liposomes helps in protecting healthy cells from the drug toxicity and prevent their concentration in vulnerable tissue. Gene delivery and cancer therapy are still being the principal areas of interest. Liposomes sensitivity to pH, light, magnetism, temperature and ultrasonic waves can be used to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Targeted liposome formulations having antibodies, peptides, glycoproteins, polysaccharide, growth factors and carbohydrates may increase liposomal drug accumulation in the cells and tissues by over expressed receptors and antigens. Promising trends must be identified and exploited for further successful development of liposomal drug delivery.