Liposomes and Lipid Nanovesicular Carriers for Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 9231

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, via Muroni 23/a, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: mucosal drug delivery; in vitro and ex vivo permeation; mucoadhesive carrier
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liposomes are lipid nanovesicles extensively used as carriers for molecules in the fields of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and high versatility, liposomes are increasingly being used in clinical applications. On the other hand, new liposome-like vesicles have been studied to overcome the disadvantages of liposomes, called “-omes” (e.g., transfersomes, niosomes, ethosomes, invasomes, and phytosomes). While traditionally employed for parenteral and transdermal routes, liposomes and the other lipid nanovesicular carriers are now being investigated as drug delivery systems for other administration routes, such as nose-to-brain.

This Special Issue aims to explore the state of the art, and showcase progress in this field. Both research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • New lipid nanovesicles;
  • Novel techniques;
  • Drug release, delivery studies;
  • Targeted systems;
  • New applications;
  • New administration routes;
  • Nose-to-brain delivery.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Giovanna Rassu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • liposomes
  • transfersomes
  • niosomes
  • ethosomes
  • invasomes
  • phytosomes
  • nano-sized lipid vesicles
  • preparation methods
  • administration routes

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3015 KiB  
Article
Dual Functionalized Liposomes for Selective Delivery of Poorly Soluble Drugs to Inflamed Brain Regions
by Sabrina Giofrè, Antonio Renda, Silvia Sesana, Beatrice Formicola, Barbara Vergani, Biagio Eugenio Leone, Vanna Denti, Giuseppe Paglia, Serena Groppuso, Valentina Romeo, Luca Muzio, Andrea Balboni, Andrea Menegon, Antonia Antoniou, Arianna Amenta, Daniele Passarella, Pierfausto Seneci, Sara Pellegrino and Francesca Re
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(11), 2402; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14112402 - 7 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2727
Abstract
Dual functionalized liposomes were developed to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and to release their cargo in a pathological matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-rich microenvironment. Liposomes were surface-functionalized with a modified peptide deriving from the receptor-binding domain of apolipoprotein E (mApoE), known to promote cargo [...] Read more.
Dual functionalized liposomes were developed to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and to release their cargo in a pathological matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-rich microenvironment. Liposomes were surface-functionalized with a modified peptide deriving from the receptor-binding domain of apolipoprotein E (mApoE), known to promote cargo delivery to the brain across the BBB in vitro and in vivo; and with an MMP-sensitive moiety for an MMP-triggered drug release. Different MMP-sensitive peptides were functionalized at both ends with hydrophobic stearate tails to yield MMP-sensitive lipopeptides (MSLPs), which were assembled into mApoE liposomes. The resulting bi-functional liposomes (i) displayed a < 180 nm diameter with a negative ζ-potential; (ii) were able to cross an in vitro BBB model with an endothelial permeability of 3 ± 1 × 10−5 cm/min; (iii) when exposed to functional MMP2 or 9, efficiently released an encapsulated fluorescein dye; (iv) showed high biocompatibility when tested in neuronal cultures; and (v) when loaded with glibenclamide, a drug candidate with poor aqueous solubility, reduced the release of proinflammatory cytokines from activated microglial cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liposomes and Lipid Nanovesicular Carriers for Drug Delivery)
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19 pages, 5407 KiB  
Article
Sertaconazole-Nitrate-Loaded Leciplex for Treating Keratomycosis: Optimization Using D-Optimal Design and In Vitro, Ex Vivo, and In Vivo Studies
by Menna M. Abdellatif, Mina Josef, Mohamed A. El-Nabarawi and Mahmoud Teaima
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(10), 2215; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14102215 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2170
Abstract
This study aims to develop efficient topical therapy for keratomycosis using sertaconazolenitrate (STZN)-loaded leciplex (LP). The D-optimal design was used to optimize STZN-loaded LP by utilizing soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC) molar ratio (X1), cationic surfactant molar ratio (X2), and cationic [...] Read more.
This study aims to develop efficient topical therapy for keratomycosis using sertaconazolenitrate (STZN)-loaded leciplex (LP). The D-optimal design was used to optimize STZN-loaded LP by utilizing soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC) molar ratio (X1), cationic surfactant molar ratio (X2), and cationic surfactant type (X3) as the independent variables, whereas their impact was studied for entrapment efficiency percent (EE; Y1), particle size (PS; Y2), polydispersity index (PDI; Y3), zeta potential (ZP; Y4), and permeability coefficient (Kp; Y5). The optimized formula was evaluated regarding morphology, ex vivo permeation, mucoadhesion, stability, and in vivo studies. The optimized formula was spherical and showed EE of 84.87 ± 1.71%, PS of 39.70 ± 1.35 nm, PDI of 0.242 ± 0.006, ZP of +54.60 ± 0.24 mV, and Kp of 0.0577 ± 0.0001 cm/h. The ex vivo permeation study revealed that the optimized formula enhanced the Kp and corneal deposition by 2.78 and 12.49 folds, respectively, compared to the aqueous drug dispersion. Furthermore, the optimized formula was stable and revealed promising mucoadhesion properties. Finally, the in vivo studies showed that the optimized formula was superior to the drug dispersion in treating rats with induced keratomycosis. These results confirmed the capabilities of LP as a promising nanocarrier for treating ocular diseases topically. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liposomes and Lipid Nanovesicular Carriers for Drug Delivery)
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Review

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26 pages, 2464 KiB  
Review
Trends in Drug Delivery Systems for Natural Bioactive Molecules to Treat Health Disorders: The Importance of Nano-Liposomes
by Raiane Vieira Cardoso, Patricia Ribeiro Pereira, Cyntia Silva Freitas and Vania Margaret Flosi Paschoalin
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2808; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122808 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3714
Abstract
Drug delivery systems are believed to increase pharmaceutical efficacy and the therapeutic index by protecting and stabilizing bioactive molecules, such as protein and peptides, against body fluids’ enzymes and/or unsuitable physicochemical conditions while preserving the surrounding healthy tissues from toxicity. Liposomes are biocompatible [...] Read more.
Drug delivery systems are believed to increase pharmaceutical efficacy and the therapeutic index by protecting and stabilizing bioactive molecules, such as protein and peptides, against body fluids’ enzymes and/or unsuitable physicochemical conditions while preserving the surrounding healthy tissues from toxicity. Liposomes are biocompatible and biodegradable and do not cause immunogenicity following intravenous or topical administration. Still, their most important characteristic is the ability to load any drug or complex molecule uncommitted to its hydrophobic or hydrophilic character. Selecting lipid components, ratios and thermo-sensitivity is critical to achieve a suitable nano-liposomal formulation. Nano-liposomal surfaces can be tailored to interact successfully with target cells, avoiding undesirable associations with plasma proteins and enhancing their half-life in the bloodstream. Macropinocytosis-dynamin-independent, cell-membrane-cholesterol-dependent processes, clathrin, and caveolae-independent mechanisms are involved in liposome internalization and trafficking within target cells to deliver the loaded drugs to modulate cell function. A successful translation from animal studies to clinical trials is still an important challenge surrounding the approval of new nano-liposomal drugs that have been the focus of investigations. Precision medicine based on the design of functionalized nano-delivery systems bearing highly specific molecules to drive therapies is a promising strategy to treat degenerative diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liposomes and Lipid Nanovesicular Carriers for Drug Delivery)
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