Niosome

Niosomes are lamellar structures at a microscopic level, composed of non-ionic surfactants from the alkyl or dialkyl polyglycerol ether class and cholesterol. In niosomes, the non-ionic surfactant molecules arrange themselves in a manner where their hydrophilic ends face outward, and their hydrophobic ends face inward, forming a bilayer. This common structure gives niosomes certain properties that make them suited for various applications. They have been studied in drug delivery systems due to their ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs with potential improvements for drug stability and bioavailability. In particular, niosomes can be made biocompatible and can be tailored for specific drug release profiles. Their versatility has attracted attention in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture.[4]

Niosomes are advantageous for drug delivery systems due to their osmotic activity, chemical stability, and storage stability compared to liposomes.[3] They offer high compatibility and low toxicity risk with biological systems due to their non-ionic chemical bonding structures.[5] Niosomes can serve as biodegradable and non-immunogenic drug delivery compounds[6] and can entrap lipophilic drugs into vesicular bilayer membranes. They can also be used to entrap hydrophilic pharmaceuticals within aqueous compartments.[7] Niosomes can shield drug molecules from the biological environment, which can improve the therapeutic performance of various drug molecules. Additionally, they can be used in a sustained drug delivery system to more directly affect target cells and delay clearance from circulation.[5][8]

Various methods used to prepare liposomes are also suitable for niosome preparation,[1] such as the ether injection method, the handshaking method, the reverse phase evaporation method, the trans-membrane pH gradient method, the "bubble" method, the microfluidization method, formation from proteasomes,[4] the thin-film hydration method, the heating method, the freeze and thaw method, and the dehydration-rehydration method.

Niosomes have various applications, such as gene delivery,[9][10] drug targeting[11], antineoplastic treatment, delivery of peptide drugs, studying the immune response, carriers for hemoglobin, transdermal drug delivery systems,[12] and cosmetics.[13] They are also being studied for their potential use as a treatment for different forms of leishmaniasis[14]