Liposomes and Their Composition
Liposomes, spherical and microscopic manmade cells that are made from one or several lipid bilateral comprising of different lipid or single amphiphilic either neutral or charged. The liposomes can entrap the therapeutic molecules such as genetic material, proteins, oligonucleotides, enzymes, vaccines and drugs. The vivo efficacy and physical properties of liposomes can be altered by changing few characteristics of liposomes including zeta potential, size, composition, unsaturation and length.
Composition of Liposomes
The liposomes can also be composed of the naturally derived phospholipids. The membrane is usually made of phospholipids which are molecule that contain tail and a head group. The tail that is composed of hydrocarbon chain is repelled by water, while a head is attracted to water[1]. The liposomes can vary in structure, charge (emanating from the charge of the composing phospholipids), and composition (differing cholesterol contents and phospholipids). The vivo distribution of the liposomes can be impacted by their respective attributes.
How Are They Made and Encapsulated
A liposome is a spherical vesicle that consist of at least one lipid bilateral. At the present they are vital, reagent, reproductive, and a tool in various disciplines such as biology, biochemistry, colloid science, chemistry, biophysics, theoretical science, and even mathematics. The liposomes can be utilized as a vehicle for administering pharmaceutical drugs and even nutrients. The major types of liposomes include the cochleae vesicle, the large unilamellar vesicle, the large unilamellar lipoma the small unilamellar liposome vesicle and the multilamellar vesicle. The liposome are composite structures that are composed or phospholids and also made a smaller portion of other molecules. The liposome are synthetic vesicles that can be that are generated from cholesterol. Because of their hydrophilic and hydrophobic character as well as size, the liposomes are promising systems that can be used to deliver drugs. The property of the liposomes tend to differ based on the method of preparation, size, surface change, and with lipid composition.
Advantages of Liposomes
At the present there are few drugs in the market that are utilized in the severe situation often because of their toxicity or severe side effects. Some of the drugs have unique antimicrobial effect, but the pharmacodynamics properties and poor pharmacokinetic limit their use. The drug encapsulation in a lipid or liposomal drug delivery system can solve the above mentioned complication to a certain extent. The drug can be brought into regular use because pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic properties can be controlled. The benefits of liposomes as a drug conveyance arrangement for antimicrobials systems are: enhanced activity against extracellular pathogens, improved action of drugs against the intracellular pathogens, reduced toxicity, and improvement over pharmacodynamics and the pharmacokinetics[2].
The liposomes can increase the pharmacokinetics of drugs; this implies that drugs remains in their therapeutic range for a long period of time and decreases the toxicity of the drug while increasing its efficacy. To a certain extend the liposomes can overcome bacterial infection.
The liposomes can be altered to become target selective. This can be exploited for drug targeting by including certain cells to absorbed and react to the liposomes[3]. The structure of the membrane can be altered to for particular drug targeting, either by adding specific immunoglobulin, antibodies, and protein or by changing the charge of the membrane. This increases the cells affinity to the liposomes.
The versatility of liposomes make them useful for numerous therapeutic applications in antiviral therapy, gene delivery, tumor therapy, immunology and most importantly to deliver proteins and drugs. The liposomes are utilized as carriers for controlled drugs delivery, which limits the toxicity of the drugs in the body; the drugs are often protected from the external environment meaning that they cannot target the unintended tissues.
Disadvantages of Liposomes
There are numerous demerit that are associated with liposomes as a delivery system. In liposomes the allergic reactions can occur resulting in liposomal constitutes. The phospholips undergoes oxidation. In addition, the liposomes have a short half-life and they are less soluble. The liposomes can be physiochemical unstable. The drug can be leaked because the fusion of liposomes to create larger particles.
As the liposomes are used to increase and enhance efficacy of a drug, the cost as well as other complications have to be taken into account. The cost is always an issue when it comes to the lipid drugs because most of them are often hard to produce. The cost can be higher in terms of raw material used to manufacture and the expensive equipment.
Suitability of Liposomes
Liposomes are suitable for the drug delivery systems. Studies have also showed the lysosomes can also be used in cancer treatment. The structures have major attributed that include controlled release of drugs, ability to target cancer tissues, lower clearance rates, biocompatibility and low toxicity[4]. Liposomes because of their form require additional exploration. The structures can deliver both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for genetic elements, enzymes, vaccines, ophthalmic, diagnostics, immunomodulation, antifungal, antibacterial, and cancer.
References
Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl, Rogaie Rezaei-Sadabady, Soodabeh Davaran, Sang Woo Joo, Nosratollah Zarghami, Younes Hanifehpour, Mohammad Samiei, Mohammad Kouhi, and Kazem Nejati-Koshki. "Liposome: Classification, Preparation, And Applications", Last modified 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599573/.
Goldberg, R. "Novel Engineered Liposomes For Greatly-Enhanced Intra-Articular Retention In Vivo". Osteoarthritis And Cartilage 25 (2017): S432. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2017.02.746.
[1]
R. Goldberg, "Novel Engineered Liposomes For Greatly-Enhanced Intra-Articular Retention In Vivo", Osteoarthritis And Cartilage 25 (2017): S432, doi:10.1016/j.joca.2017.02.746.
[2]
Abolfazl Akbarzadeh et al., "Liposome: Classification, Preparation, And Applications", Last modified 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599573/.
[3]
R. Goldberg, "Novel Engineered Liposomes For Greatly-Enhanced Intra-Articular Retention In Vivo", Osteoarthritis And Cartilage 25 (2017): S432, doi:10.1016/j.joca.2017.02.746.
[4]
Abolfazl Akbarzadeh et al., "Liposome: Classification, Preparation, And Applications", Last modified 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599573.
