Niosomes: A Promising Novel Nano Carrier for Drug Delivery
Nirmal Shah *
Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Piparia, Vadodara-391760, Gujarat, India.
Rahul Prajapati
Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Piparia, Vadodara-391760, Gujarat, India.
Dipti Gohil
Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Piparia, Vadodara-391760, Gujarat, India.
Piyush Sadhu
Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Piparia, Vadodara-391760, Gujarat, India.
Snehal Patel
Department of Pharmacy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Piparia, Vadodara-391760, Gujarat, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Niosomes are vesicles, which are formulated by hydrating the mixture of cholesterol, non-ionic surfactant and other biodegradable lipids. Niosomes increase the drug activity as compare to their conventional dosage form of a drug. Niosomes can be used as carrier of amphiphilic and lipophilic drugs. Niosomes may overcome the issues related to instability, fast degradation, low bioavailability, and insolubility of medications. The structure of niosomes either multilamellar or unilamellar, is depends on the method of formulation. Niosomes contain very efficient drug delivery potential for site-specific delivery of anti-cancer, anti-infective agents, etc. Niosomes are stable as well as cost effective carriers as compared with other drug formulations. Niosomes also have various applications in parental drug delivery system, topical drug delivery system, oral drug delivery system and novel drug delivery system such as targeted drug delivery system and controlled drug release system.
Keywords: Niosomes, amphiphilic, lipophilic, multilamellar, unilamellar, non-ionic surfactant