Chapter 28 - Stimuli-responsive liposome and control release drug

Abstract

Biomimetic liposomes are self-assembling structures in water and a useful tool for drug delivery as a container for the storage, transfer, and controllable release of agents. They can reduce or avoid premature drug release before the liposomes reach target sitse and improve drug release efficiency at targeting sites. Stimuli-responsive liposomes are a promising nanodrug carrier with potential to provide site-specific chemotherapy. Intelligent behavior of the stimuli-responsive liposomes is mainly reflected on its various exceptional macroscopic behaviors generated from external stimuli signals. Their structure, configuration, and other characteristics can be altered under certain in vivo or in vitro stimulus, such as heat, light, magnetism, pH changes. The stimuli-responsive of liposomes can be used in controlled drug release. For the stimulus response liposomes, microstructure, macroscopic properties and main functions are summarized in this chapter. The relative thermal, light, magnetism, and pH stimuli responsive properties are reviewed. The mechanisms of stimulating release drugs are discussed. The stimuli-responsive liposomes are greater spatial and temporal control in the malignant tumor therapy.