UFASOME: A POTENTIAL PHOSPHOLIPID CARRIER AS A NOVEL PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATION

Abstract

Ufasomes are unsaturated fatty acid vesicles . They are the suspensions of fatty acids and their ionized species (soap) which are arra nged as closed lipid bilayer . The molecular arrangement in ufasome is that the hydrocarbon ta ils are oriented toward s inferior of the membrane and carbonyl groups are in contact with water. The stabi lity of formulation depends on the selection of fatty acid, pH range , amount of lipoxygenase etc . Film hydration method is used for the preparation of vesicle by using oleic acid as fatty acid principle components. The present article describes about the advantages , disadvantages, method of preparation, in vitro evaluation and resent innovations of ufasomes. The present investigation aims at exploring t he potential of fatty acid vesicle for the topical delivery of drugs. Earlier ufasomes where considered as the pre - biotic models for cellular c ompartments. Now, ufasomes are also found as carriers for horizontal transfer of engineered gene from plants to s oil microbes or environment.