NIOSOMES �?? VESICULAR DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

V. Lokeswara Babu *, Sam T. Mathew 1, K.N. Jayaveera 2 and V.V. Prasanth

At present days drugs are formulated by using different novel drug delivery system (NDDS) which are used for targeting drugs to different organ systems and for controlled /sustained release of drug from the dosage forms. The NDDS can be used to overcome many disadvantages of conventional dosage forms like poor bioavailability, first pass effect, systemic toxicity, degradation of drug in stomach etc. which results in decreased biological activity of the drugs. Vesicular system is one of the important NDDS studied since a lot of time, of which main importance was given to liposomes. Due to the unstability of phospholipids (used for the formulation of liposomes) on storage was replaced with non ionic surfactants. Niosomal vesicles were prepared by using non ionic surfactants and were first reported in cosmetic industry. Niosomes are used as carrier systems for the delivery of most of the drugs, biologically active agents, hormones and antigens for the better treatment. The present review involves a detailed description about the drug delivery through niosomal formulation.