Liposomal Formulation Makes Medication Delivery Safer And More Effective

By Mayra Pierce


Nanotechnology is a branch of science that manipulates materials on a molecular and atomic level. Liposomes are artificially created microscopic bubbles composed of materials similar to human cell membranes called phospholipids, portions of which are alternately repelled or attracted to water. Liposomal formulation is a process that creates these structures for a more effective use in the delivery of medications.

First appearing during the 1960s, the importance of these tiny vesicular structures that enclose water-soluble molecules soon became apparent. Researchers and pharmacists became aware of their potential to deliver specific drugs used in the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The process encourages more accurate targeting of unhealthy cells and avoids problems associated with other types of administration.

The concept they use is radically different because it does not depend of standard modes of absorption typical of IV or oral administration. Conventional chemical processes can make management of specialized drugs more difficult. They are indiscriminate in their toxicity, and affect healthy organs as well, resulting in unnecessary damage and more lengthy recovery. When delivered via liposomes, release of toxic medication can be better controlled.

The drug molecules encased within each structure are suspended in water and surrounded by an artificially or naturally created membrane. The formulation of designed liposomes turns them into ideal mechanisms for hydrophilic drugs, or those that are attracted to and become suspended in water. When prepared according to current methods, the structures exist in two primary types, unilammelar or multilammelar. There are subcategories that include different sizes.

Molecules of a particular drug are encased within a membrane, and can be transferred to the targeted cells upon activation. They can be effectively released into an organism by fusing specific layers with other living cells, which delivers the tiny doses they contain. Other methods of release use reactive chemicals that also encourage diffusion at the molecular level. The overall result is a more controllable, steady release.

Not only can this process be more easily managed by physicians, but it leaves no residual toxins behind, and is compatible biologically with human cells. Comparatively recent developments in ultrasound technology use sound waves to activate these chemical invaders, increasing their strength in regions where it is most needed. Others are being administered via the respiratory system, where they are deposited in the lungs and slowly released.

Manufacturing these tiny capsules for medical purposes is still expensive. As research continues and use becomes more widespread, costs will likely decrease, but will still remain substantial. Because the technology is still relatively new, many issues have yet been completely resolved. Some types of artificial cells have experienced problems with wall leakage, while others are still affected by natural degradation processes such as oxidation.

Like other technologies developed for medicine, liposomes have a growing commercial use. They are being touted as superior methods of delivering vitamin, mineral, and herb formulations, and some individuals today even create their own supplements. While those uses are controversial in some aspects, the creation of new medication delivery and activation systems continues to provide new hope for more effective treatments.




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