Pharmacosomes: the lipid-based new drug delivery system

Abstract

Lipid-based drug delivery systems have been investigated in various studies and shown their potential in controlled and targeted drug delivery. Pharmacosomes are amphiphilic phospholipid complexes of drugs bearing active hydrogen that bind to phospholipids. Pharmacosomes impart better biopharmaceutical properties to the drug, resulting in improved bioavailability. Pharmacosomes have been prepared for various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proteins, cardiovascular and antineoplastic drugs. Developing the pharmacosomes of the drugs has been found to improve the absorption and minimize the gastrointestinal toxicity. This article reviews the potential of pharmacosomes as a controlled and targeted drug delivery system and highlights the methods of preparation and characterization.

Keywords::

• bioavailability
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• pharmacosome
• phospholipid complex

Acknowledgements

The authors thank LIPOID GmbH Germany for providing the gift sample of phosphatidylcholine for the research work. Facilities provided by the UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore (MP), are acknowledged with thanks.