Niosome & liposome

Definition
Niosome
Niosome is a non-ionic surfactant-based Vesicle (biology and chemistry).
Niosomes are formed mostly by non-ionic surfactant and cholesterol
incorporation as an excipient. Other excipients can also be used. Niosomes have
more penetrating capability than the previous preparations of emulsions. They
are structurally similar to liposomes in having a bilayer, however, the materials
used to prepare niosomes make them more stable. It can entrap both hydrophilic
and lipophilic drugs, either in an aqueous layer or in a vesicular membrane
made of lipid material.

Liposome
A liposome is a spherical vesicle having at least one lipid bilayer. The liposome
can be used as a vehicle for administration of nutrients and pharmaceutical
drugs.Liposomes can be prepared by disrupting biological membranes (such as
by sonication).

Liposomes are most often composed of phospholipids, especially

phosphatidylcholine, but may also include other lipids, such as egg
phosphatidylethanolamine, so long as they are compatible with lipid bilayer
structure.A liposome design may employ surface ligands for attaching to
unhealthy tissue.
Structure
Niosome
Niosomes are spherical and consist of microscopic lamellar (unilamellar or
multilamellar) structures. The bilayer is formed by nonionic surfactants, with or
without cholesterol and a charge inducer. Different types of surfactants at
variable combinations and molar ratios are used to form niosomes. Examples of
surfactants include alkyl ethers, alkyl glyceryl ethers, sorbitan fatty acid esters,
and polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters. Addition of cholesterol maintains the
rigidity of the bilayer, resulting in less leaky niosomes. Meanwhile, charge
inducers provide charge to the vesicles and increase vesicle size, increasing
drug entrapment efficiency. Negative charge inducers, including dicetyl
phosphate, dihexadecyl phosphate, and lipoamino acid, and positive charge
inducers, including stearylamine and cetylpyridinium chloride, help to stabilize
the vesicles. Nonionic surfactants in niosomes tend to orient themselves in such
a way that hydrophilic end faces outward (toward the aqueous phase), whereas
the hydrophobic end faces inward to each other to form a closed bilayer
structure, which encloses solutes in an aqueous solution. As a result, the closed
bilayer structure of niosomes has hydrophilic inner and outer surfaces, with a
sandwiched lipophilic area in between. To form the closed bilayer structure,
energy such as heat or physical agitation is required. Various forces inside the
vesicles were found to play an important role in maintaining the vesicular
structure, for example, van der Waals and repulsive forces that exist among the
surfactant molecules. Varying the vesicle’s components (including type,
composition, and concentration), size, surface charge, or volume will likely
modify the properties of resultant niosomes

Niosomes can be categorized into 3 groups based on their vesicle size, namely,
small unilamellar vesicles (0.025–0.05 μm), multilamellar vesicles (>0.05 μm),
and large unilamellar vesicles (>0.10 μm).
 Figure 1: Structure of a niosome.

Liposome
Liposomes are spherical structures, usually between 15nm and 1000nm in
diameter. Various targeting ligands can be attached to their surface to direct
them to the appropriate sites within cells; these include, but are not limited to,
membrane proteins. It is important to differentiate liposomes from micelles;
even though both of these macromolecular complexes are spherical and consist
of lipids, a micelle is normally formed from ionized fatty acids, whereas a
liposome consists of phospholipids. Furthermore, micelles consist of only a
single layer of lipids, with their non-polar carbon tails clustered together at the
center (therefore not allowing any water soluble compounds on the interior),
whereas liposomes are constructed from a bilayer that does allow charged
molecules on the inside. This is due to the presence of the hydrophilic glycerol-
phosphate-alcohol heads of phospholipids, which define both the outer and
inner surfaces of liposomes.
 Figure 2 : Structure of liposome

Types
Niosomes:
According to the nature of lamellarity
1. Multilamellar vesicles (MLV) 1- 5 µm in size.
2. Large Unilamellar vesicles (LUV) 0.1 - 1µm in size.
3. Small Unilamellar vesicles (SUV) 25- 500 nm in size.

According to the size

1. Small Niosomes (100nm – 200 nm)

2. Large Niosomes (800nm – 900nm)
3. Big Niosomes (2µm - 4µm)

Liposome:
Liposomes can be classified into several types according to their following
features:

1. Size
2. Number of Lamellae
 Number of
Liposome Types Size
Lamellae

Small Unilamellar Vesicles (SUV) 20 nm - 100 nm Single

100 nm - 400
Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUV) Single
nm

Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUV) 1 µm and Larger Single

Large Multilamellar Vesicles

200 nm - ~3 µm Multiple
(MLV)

Multivesicular Vesicles (MVV) 200 nm - ~3 µm Multiple

Methods of preparation
Niosome
Preparation of niosomes begins with the hydration of a surfactant and lipid
mixture at elevated temperatures, followed by optional niosome size reduction
in order to obtain a colloidal suspension. There are several well-studied standard
methods for the preparation of niosomes. Ether injection, hand shaking,
sonication, and microfluidization methods are a few examples. Subsequently,
the unentrapped drug is separated from the entrapped drug by centrifugation, gel
filtration, or dialysis.

1. Ether injection

The first step in niosome production by ether injection is through the dissolution
of surfactant in diethyl ether. The solution is then injected through a 14-gauge
needle into an aqueous solution of drug maintained at 60°C. Subsequently,
single-layer vesicles with diameters ranging from 50 to 1000 nm are formed
because of the vaporization of ether. However, a small amount of residual ether
frequently persists in the niosomal suspension.

2. Hand shaking

In the hand-shaking method, also known as thin-film hydration technique,

surfactant and cholesterol are dissolved in a volatile organic solvent and
transferred to a rotary evaporator. After evaporation, a thin layer of solid
mixture is deposited on the wall of the flask. The dried layer is then hydrated
with an aqueous phase containing the drug of interest. This process may be
carried out at room temperature with gentle agitation.

3. Sonication

Niosomes can also be produced through sonicating a mixture of surfactant,

cholesterol, and aqueous phase containing the drug at 60°C for 3 min. The
vesicles produced through this method are usually small and uniform in size.
Microfluidization is another reproducible technique that achieves this size
uniformity. Operationally, 2 fluidized streams move forward through a precisely
defined micro-channel, and these 2 streams interact with each other at an
ultrahigh velocity.

4. The reverse-phase evaporation technique.

The reverse-phase evaporation technique uses a mixture containing surfactant

and cholesterol in a 1:1 ratio, in addition to ether and chloroform. An aqueous
phase containing the target drug is added to the mixture followed by sonication
at 4–5°C. Sonication is continued after adding a small amount of phosphate-
buffered saline to the mixture. The organic solvent is removed at 40°C under a
low pressure, and the remaining suspension is diluted with phosphate-buffered
saline. After heating the mixture at 60°C for 10 min, the final product of
niosomes is obtained. The preparation of niosomes using the reverse-phase
evaporation technique is illustrated in Figure 3..
 Figur
e 3: Schematic diagram of preparation of niosomes using the reverse-phase
evaporation technique.

5. Bubble method

Niosomes can be produced without the use of organic solvents using the
“bubble” method. A “bubbling unit” consists of a round-bottomed flask with 3
necks positioned in a water bath; a water-cooled reflux condenser and
thermometer are positioned in the first and second necks, respectively, while
nitrogen is supplied through the third neck. Surfactant and cholesterol that are
mixed at 70°C in a buffer are homogenized and “bubbled” at 70°C using the
“bubbling unit”. The preparation of niosomes using this technique is illustrated
in Figure 4..
Figure 4: Schematic diagram of preparation of niosomes using the “bubble”
method.

6. Transmembrane pH gradient (inside acidic) drug uptake process.

In another variation of preparation of niosomes, a thin film resulting from

evaporation of surfactant and cholesterol dissolved in chloroform is hydrated
with 300 mM citric acid (pH 4.0). Then, the suspension is subjected to 3
successive freeze–thaw cycles. After sonication, the aqueous solution
containing the drug is added to the suspension and vortexed. Disodium
phosphate (1 M) is added to the mixture to increase the pH to 7.0–7.2. This
mixture is later heated at 60°C for 10 min to produce niosomes. This method is
known as the “transmembrane pH gradient (inside acidic) drug uptake process”.
Niosomes obtained by this method showed better entrapment efficiency and
retention of drugs. Figure 5 shows the steps for the preparation of niosomes
using this technique.

Figure 5: Schematic diagram of preparation of niosomes by transmembrane pH

gradient (inside acidic) drug uptake process.

7. Emulsion method

The emulsion method, which uses an oil-in-water emulsion prepared from an

organic solution of surfactant, cholesterol, and an aqueous solution of drug, is
another technique for preparation of niosomes. The organic solvent is
evaporated to obtain the final product. By contrast, a mixture of lipids and
surfactant is melted and injected into a heated aqueous phase containing the
drug in the lipid injection method.

Liposome
General methods of preparation
All the methods of preparing the liposomes involve four basic stages:

1. Drying down lipids from organic solvent.

2. Dispersing the lipid in aqueous media.

3. Purifying the resultant liposome.

4. Analyzing the final product

Method of liposome preparation and drug loading

The following methods are used for the preparation of liposome:

1. Passive loading techniques

2. Active loading technique.
Passive loading techniques include three different methods:
1. Mechanical dispersion method.

2. Solvent dispersion method.

3. Detergent removal method (removal of non-encapsulated material).

Mechanical dispersion method

The following are types of mechanical dispersion methods:
1. Sonication.

2. French pressure cell: extrusion.

3. Freeze-thawed liposomes.

4. Lipid film hydration by hand shaking, non-hand. shaking or freeze drying.

5. Micro-emulsification.

6. Membrane extrusion.

7. Dried reconstituted vesicles.

1.Sonication
Sonication is perhaps the most extensively used method for the preparation of
SUV. Here, MLVs are sonicated either with a bath type sonicator or a probe
sonicator under a passive atmosphere. The main disadvantages of this method
are very low internal volume/encapsulation efficacy, possible degradation of
phospholipids and compounds to be encapsulated, elimination of large
molecules, metal pollution from probe tip, and presence of MLV along with
SUV.

There are two sonication techniques:

a) Probe sonication: The tip of a sonicator is directly engrossed into the

liposome dispersion. The energy input into lipid dispersion is very high in this
method. The coupling of energy at the tip results in local hotness; therefore, the
vessel must be engrossed into a water/ice bath. Throughout the sonication up to
1 h, more than 5% of the lipids can be de-esterified. Also, with the probe
sonicator, titanium will slough off and pollute the solution.

b) Bath sonication: The liposome dispersion in a cylinder is placed into a bath

sonicator. Controlling the temperature of the lipid dispersion is usually easier in
this method, in contrast to sonication by dispersal directly using the tip. The
material being sonicated can be protected in a sterile vessel, dissimilar the probe
units, or under an inert atmosphere.

2.French pressure cell: extrusion

French pressure cell involves the extrusion of MLV through a small orifice. An
important feature of the French press vesicle method is that the proteins do not
seem to be significantly pretentious during the procedure as they are in
sonication. An interesting comment is that French press vesicle appears to recall
entrapped solutes significantly longer than SUVs do, produced by sonication or
detergent removal.

The method involves gentle handling of unstable materials. The method has
several advantages over sonication method. The resulting liposomes are rather
larger than sonicated SUVs. The drawbacks of the method are that the high
temperature is difficult to attain, and the working volumes are comparatively
small (about 50 mL as the maximum).

3.Freeze-thawed liposomes
SUVs are rapidly frozen and thawed slowly. The short-lived sonication
disperses aggregated materials to LUV. The creation of unilamellar vesicles is
as a result of the fusion of SUV throughout the processes of freezing and
thawing [26-28]. This type of synthesis is strongly inhibited by increasing the
phospholipid concentration and by increasing the ionic strength of the medium.
The encapsulation efficacies from 20% to 30% were obtained .

4.Solvent dispersion method

Ether injection (solvent vaporization)
A solution of lipids dissolved in diethyl ether or ether-methanol mixture is
gradually injected to an aqueous solution of the material to be encapsulated at
55°C to 65°C or under reduced pressure. The consequent removal of ether under
vacuum leads to the creation of liposomes. The main disadvantages of the
technique are that the population is heterogeneous (70 to 200 nm) and the
exposure of compounds to be encapsulated to organic solvents at high
temperature.

Ethanol injection
A lipid solution of ethanol is rapidly injected to a huge excess of buffer. The
MLVs are at once formed. The disadvantages of the method are that the
population is heterogeneous (30 to 110 nm), liposomes are very dilute, the
removal all ethanol is difficult because it forms into azeotrope with water, and
the probability of the various biologically active macromolecules to inactivate
in the presence of even low amounts of ethanol is high.
5.Reverse phase evaporation method
This method provided a progress in liposome technology, since it allowed for
the first time the preparation of liposomes with a high aqueous space-to-lipid
ratio and a capability to entrap a large percentage of the aqueous material
presented. Reverse-phase evaporation is based on the creation of inverted
micelles. These inverted micelles are shaped upon sonication of a mixture of a
buffered aqueous phase, which contains the water-soluble molecules to be
encapsulated into the liposomes and an organic phase in which the amphiphilic
molecules are solubilized. The slow elimination of the organic solvent leads to
the conversion of these inverted micelles into viscous state and gel form. At a
critical point in this process, the gel state collapses, and some of the inverted
micelles were disturbed. The excess of phospholipids in the environment
donates to the formation of a complete bilayer around the residual micelles,
which results in the creation of liposomes. Liposomes made by reverse phase
evaporation method can be made from numerous lipid formulations and have
aqueous volume-to-lipid ratios that are four times higher than hand-shaken
liposomes or multilamellar liposomes.

Briefly, first, the water-in-oil emulsion is shaped by brief sonication of a two-

phase system, containing phospholipids in organic solvent such as isopropyl
ether or diethyl ether or a mixture of isopropyl ether and chloroform with
aqueous buffer. The organic solvents are detached under reduced pressure,
resulting in the creation of a viscous gel. The liposomes are shaped when
residual solvent is detached during continued rotary evaporation under reduced
pressure. With this method, high encapsulation efficiency up to 65% can be
obtained in a medium of low ionic strength for example 0.01 M NaCl. The
method has been used to encapsulate small, large, and macromolecules. The
main drawback of the technique is the contact of the materials to be
encapsulated to organic solvents and to brief periods of sonication. These
conditions may possibly result in the breakage of DNA strands or the
denaturation of some proteins. Modified reverse phase evaporation method was
presented by Handa et al., and the main benefit of the method is that the
liposomes had high encapsulation efficiency (about 80%) .
6.Detergent removal method (removal of non-encapsulated
material)
Dialysis
The detergents at their critical micelle concentrations (CMC) have been used to
solubilize lipids. As the detergent is detached, the micelles become increasingly
better-off in phospholipid and lastly combine to form LUVs. The detergents
were removed by dialysis. A commercial device called LipoPrep (Diachema
AG, Switzerland), which is a version of dialysis system, is obtainable for the
elimination of detergents. The dialysis can be performed in dialysis bags
engrossed in large detergent free buffers (equilibrium dialysis).

Detergent (cholate, alkyl glycoside, Triton X-100) removal of mixed micelles

(absorption)

Detergent absorption is attained by shaking mixed micelle solution with beaded

organic polystyrene adsorbers such as XAD-2 beads (SERVA Electrophoresis
GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany) and Bio-beads SM2 (Bio-RadLaboratories, Inc.,
Hercules, USA). The great benefit of using detergent adsorbers is that they can
eliminate detergents with a very low CMC, which are not entirely depleted.

Gel-permeation chromatography
In this method, the detergent is depleted by size special chromatography.
Sephadex G-50, Sephadex G-l 00 (Sigma-Aldrich, MO, USA), Sepharose 2B-
6B, and Sephacryl S200-S1000 (General Electric Company, Tehran, Iran) can
be used for gel filtration. The liposomes do not penetrate into the pores of the
beads packed in a column. They percolate through the inter-bead spaces. At
slow flow rates, the separation of liposomes from detergent monomers is very
good. The swollen polysaccharide beads adsorb substantial amounts of
amphiphilic lipids; therefore, pre-treatment is necessary. The pre-treatment is
done by pre-saturation of the gel filtration column by lipids using empty
liposome suspensions.
Dilution
Upon dilution of aqueous mixed micellar solution of detergent and
phospholipids with buffer, the micellar size and the polydispersity increase
fundamentally, and as the system is diluted beyond the mixed micellar phase
boundary, a spontaneous transition from polydispersed micelles to vesicles
occurs.

Evaluation

Niosomes:

Developed niosomal formulations were characterized with respect to particle

size, shape, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release profile.

1. Shape and Morphology

Shape and morphology of niosomal formulations were determined by optical

microscopy. It was clearly observed from that niosomes are spherical in shape.

2. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

Morphological characteristics of niosomal formulations will further confirmed

by TEM analysis. TEM photomicrograph of (NC2) niosomal formulation at
40,000x and 45,000x magnification revealed the spherical shape and
morphology of the niosomes. Further, it was observed from the TEM images
that niosomes are with hollow vesicular structure.

3. Particle Size

Particle size of the various developed niosomal formulation containing different

grade of Span was determined by optical microscopy. It was clearly observed
that mean vesicle size empty niosomes containing Span 20 were found to be
higher as compared to other niosomes containing different grade of Span such
as Span 40, Span 60, and Span 80. The particle sizes of niosomal formulation
were reported in the range of 4 μm to 8 μm in case of empty niosomes. The
particle sizes of niosomes were decreased consistently from Span 20 to Span 80
and are found in the following order:

This might be due to the increase in the hydrophobicity of the surfactant from
Span 20 to Span 80. The decrease in surface free energy with increasing the
hydrophobicity of surfactants may be the major attribute of reduction in the
particle size of niosomes. Similar pattern in particle size was observed in case of
drug loaded niosomal formulation. Mean vesicles’ size of drug loaded niosomes
was found to be greater than the unloaded niosomes at each ratio of drug : 
cholesterol : surfactant with different grade of Span (20, 40, 60 and 80).

4. Entrapment Efficiency

Entrapment efficiency is the percentage fraction of the entire drug entrapped in

the niosomes. Entrapment efficiency of drug loaded niosomal formulation was
found to be increased on increasing the cholesterol ratio from 0.5 to 1 whereas
entrapment efficiency decreases on further increase in cholesterol ratio from 1
to 1.5. This might be due to two factors. First, with increase cholesterol ratio,
hydrophobicity and stability of bilayers vesicles increase and permeability
decrease which may lead to efficiently trapping the hydrophobic drug into
bilayers as the vesicles formed. Secondly, higher amount of cholesterol may
compete with the drug for packing space within the bilayer hence excluding the
drug as the amphiphiles assembled into drugs.

5. Cell Cytotoxicity Study

The same concentration of free drug solution was also used for comparison.
Empty niosomal formulation and drug loaded niosomes exhibited lower
cytotoxicity as compared to free drug solution. It might be due to the different
cellular uptake of niosomal CLR and the free form of the drug.

6. Stability Study

On the basis of result of particle size, percentage entrapment efficiency, in vitro

release profile, zeta potential, and polydispersity index, (NC2) was selected for
further stability studies and in vivo study. Stability study of NC2 formulation
was carried out by keeping the formulation at storage conditions (refrigerated
temperature and room temperature) and their stability was determined with
respect to particle size and residual drug content.

liposomes
The liposomes prepared by various techniques are to be evaluated for their
physical properties, has these influence the behavior of liposomes in vivo
Physical properties

1.Particle size

Both particle size and particle size distribution of liposomes influence their
physical stability. These can be determined by the following method.

A) Laser light scattering

B) Transmission electron microscopy

2. Surface charge

The positive, negative or neutral charge on the surface of the liposome is due to
the composition of the head groups.

The surface charge of liposome governs the kinetic and extent of distribution in
vivo, as well as interaction with the target cells.

The method involved in the measurement of surface charge is based on free-

flow electro-phoresis of MLVs.

It utilizes a cellulose acetate plate dipped in sodium borate buffer of pH 8.8 .

About 5N moles of lipid samples are applied on to the plate, which is then
subjected to electrophoresis at 4 degree celcius for 30 mins .

The liposome get bifurcated depending on their surface charge.

3.Percent drug encapsulated

 Quantity of drug entrapped in the liposomes helps to estimate the

behaviour of the drug in biological system.
 LIposomes are mixture of encapsulated and unencapsulated drug
interactions.
 The percentage of drug encapsulation is done by first separating the free
drug fraction from encapsulated drug fraction.
 The encapsulated fraction is then made to leak off the liposome into
aqueous solution using suitable detergents.

The methods used to separate the free drug from the sample are;
A) Mini column centrifugation method

B) Protamine aggregated method

4. Phase behaviour

 At transition temperature liposomes undergo reversible phase transition .

 The transition temperature is the indication of stability , permeability nad
also indicates the region of drug entrapment done by DSC.

5. Drug release rate

The rate of drug release from the liposomes can be determined by in vivo assays
which helps to predict the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the drug.
However on vivo studies are found to be more complete.

Liposomes encapsulating the tracer insulin are employed for the study . This
insulin is preferred , as it is released only in the ECF and undergoes rapid renal
excretion of the face tracer coupled to the degradation rate constant to the tracer
released from the liposomes.

Applications
Niosomes
 Niosomes are a novel drug delivery system that are finding application in:
 gene delivery
 drug targeting
 antineoplastic treatment
 leishmaniasis treatment
 delivery of peptide drugs
 studying immune response
 carriers for haemoglobin
 transdermal drug delivery systems
 cosmetics
Liposomes
Scientific Use

The study of phospholipid bilayers can help clarify several of their

characteristics, such as their permeability under varying pH and temperature,
their fluidity, and their electro conductivity. This is usually done with sheets of
bilayers, which can be more easily generated and are more stable, not vesicles
such as liposomes. However, liposomes have been found useful in studies of
phase transitions and lattice spacing and were thus used for such purposes in the
late 1960s and early 1970s.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications

The greatest potential of liposomes lies in the medical field, where their ability
to deliver drugs and other compounds to specific areas of an organism are under
active investigation. The basis for this ability is that the hydrophilic compounds
contained by a liposome cannot pass through the hydrophobic core of the lipid
bilayer, and are thus trapped on the inside. The attachment of glycosylated
membrane proteins to the outside or the vesicle can help direct the liposome to
the desired cells. These binding ligands may also be responsible for the fusion
of the vesicle with the diseased cell. This process of drug delivery often lessens
the toxicity of the drugs, which are sheltered from interaction with other non-
target cells. Additionally, this mode of delivery can be more efficient, as long
circulating liposomes may accumulate in a region of higher than average blood
circulation, such as an inflammation site, a tumor, or other diseased areas.

Factors other than the membrane protein mediated fusion of vesicles to cellular
membranes can contribute to the release of the compound contained in the
liposome. An example of this is the pH-triggered permeability change of a
heterogeneous liposome. Liposomes under certain pH conditions can become
“leaky” and thereby release the compounds contained within. Doxorubicin, a
cancer drug, is delivered to tumor cells by this mechanism, which does not
affect overall liposome stability.

Advantages
Niosomes
 Niosomes are osmotically active, chemically stable and have long storage
time compared to liposomes
 Their surface formation and modification is very easy because of the
functional groups on their hydrophilic heads
 They have high compatibility with biological systems and low toxicity
because of their non-ionic nature
 They are biodegradable and non-immunogenic
 They can entrap lipophilic drugs into vesicular bilayer membranes and
hydrophilic drugs in aqueous compartments
 They can improve the therapeutic performance of the drug molecules by
protecting the drug from biological environment, resulting in better
availability and controlled drug delivery by restricting the drug effects to
target cells in targeted carriers and delaying clearance from the
circulation in sustained drug delivery
 Access to raw materials is convenient.

Liposomes

Since the 1960's Liposomes and their use in the medicinal field has been greatly
explored by pharmaceutical companies. Liposomes have many advantages as a
method of drug delivery. These advantages are as follows:

 Liposomes are biocompatible, completely biodegradable, non-toxic,

flexible, and nonimmunogenic.
 Liposomes have both a lipophilic and aqueous environment making it
useful for delivering hydrophobic, amphipathic, and hydrophilic
medicines.
  Liposomes with their layers encapsulates the drug and serves as a
protection of the drug from the environment as well as acting as a
sustained release mechanism. This encapsulation also serves to protect
sensitive areas from the drug as well.
 Liposomes are extremely versatile in the form which they may be
administered. These forms include suspension, aerosol, gel, cream, lotion,
and powder which can then by administered through most common routes
of medicinal administration.
 Liposomes are also flexible in their size, and as such they can enclose a
wide size range of molecules.
 Liposomes can aide with active targeting as it has flexibility in coupling
with site-specific ligands.

Disadvantages
Niosomes

 Aggregation
 Fusion
 Leaking of entrapped drug
 Hydrolysis of encapsulated drugs which limiting the shelf
 Life of the dispersion

Liposomes

Despite all the wonderful advantages, Liposomes do have some disadvantages

when compared with other methods of drug delivery.

 Liposomes encapsulated drugs require a high production cost.

 Liposomes may have leakage and fusion of encapsulated drugs.
 The liposome phospholipid may undergo oxidation and hydrolysis.
 Liposomes have a shorter half-life.
 Liposomes have lower solubility.
Difference between noisome & liposome
SI NO. Niosomes Liposomes
1. Vesicles made up of surfactants Vesicles made up of concentric
with or without incorporation of bilayer of phospholipis
cholesterol
2. Size ranges from 10- 100 nm Size ranges from 10- 3000nm
3. Inexpensive Comparatively expensive
4. Special storage conditions are not Special storage conditions are
required required
5. Non- ionic surfactants are stable Phospholipids used are
unstable
6. Less toxic Comparatively more toxic