Liposomes as Potential Drug Carrier Systems for Drug Delivery

Abstract

Lipids are amphiphilic molecules, where one part of the molecule is water-loving (hydrophilic) and the other water-hating (hydrophobic). When lipids are placed in contact with water, the unfavorable interactions of the hydrophobic segments of the molecule with the solvent result in the self assembly of lipids, often in the form of liposomes. Liposomes consist of an aqueous core surrounded by a lipid bilayer, much like a membrane, separating the inner aqueous core from the bulk outside. They were first discovered by Bangham and his co-workers in 1961 [1] and described as swollen phospholipid systems [2]. In the following years, a variety of enclosed phospholipid bilayer structures were defined which were initially called bangosomes and then liposomes, which was derived by the combination of two Greek words, “lipos” meaning fat and “soma” meaning body.