Abstract

NIOSOMES – NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM- A REVIEW

Sunitha Reddy M.* and Pranaya D.

Abstract

Non-ionic surfactant vesicles or simply noisomes are synthetic vesicles made by hydrating mixture of cholesterol and non ionic surfactants. Different new approaches used for the drug delivery which include liposomes, microspheres, nanoparticles, antibody-loaded drug delivery, magnetic microspheres, implantable pumps, microemulsions and niosomes. Niosomes and liposomes are equiactive in drug delivery potential is more drug efficacy than conventional free drug delivery systems. Niosomes are more preferable over liposomes as they show high chemical stability and less toxic also more economical as they can be made with or without cholesterol. The application of these vesicular systems in cosmetics and also for therapeutic purpose may offer several advantages. As these niosomes entrap the drug to improve the solubility and therapeutic performance by delayed clearance from the circulation and protecting the drug from biological environment and restricting the effect to target cells. The article cites the recent advances in niosomal drug delivery, key advantages over other delivery systems, formulation methods, methods of characterization and applications and recent research on niosomal formulations. Also niosomes have great drug delivery potential for anti-cancer, anti-infective agents, anti-fungal agents. Drug delivery efficacy of niosomes can be enhanced by using novel concepts like proniosomes, discosomes, aposomes. Niosomes also serve as drug carriers, diagnostic imaging aids and as vaccine adjuvant. Thus there is an optimistic scope of research in the formulations of niosomes which are commercially acceptable.

Keywords: Niosomes, Novel drug delivery, Non-ionic surfactant, Cholesterol.