<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Target-specific drug-delivery systems for the administration of pharmaceutical compounds enable the localization of drugs to diseased sites. Various types of drug-delivery systems utilize carriers, such as immunoglobulins, serum proteins, synthetic polymers, liposomes, and microspheres. The vesicular system of niosomes, with their bilayer structure assembled by nonionic surfactants, is able to enhance the bioavailability of a drug to a predetermined area for a period. The amphiphilic nature of niosomes promotes their efficiency in encapsulating lipophilic or hydrophilic drugs. Other additives, such as cholesterol, can be used to maintain the rigidity of the niosomes’ structure. This narrative review describes fundamental aspects of niosomes, including their structural components, methods of preparation, limitations, and current applications to various diseases.</p></abstract>

Target-specific drug-delivery systems for the administration of pharmaceutical compounds enable the localization of drugs to diseased sites. Various types of drug-delivery systems utilize carriers, such as immunoglobulins, serum proteins, synthetic polymers, liposomes, and microspheres. The vesicular system of niosomes, with their bilayer structure assembled by nonionic surfactants, is able to enhance the bioavailability of a drug to a predetermined area for a period. The amphiphilic nature of niosomes promotes their efficiency in encapsulating lipophilic or hydrophilic drugs. Other additives, such as cholesterol, can be used to maintain the rigidity of the niosomes’ structure. This narrative review describes fundamental aspects of niosomes, including their structural components, methods of preparation, limitations, and current applications to various diseases.

Niosomes: a review of their structure, properties, methods of preparation, and medical applications

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Target-specific drug-delivery systems for the administration of pharmaceutical compounds enable the localization of drugs to diseased sites. Various types of...

Drug/compound(s)	Effects compared with unencapsulated form	Reference(s)
Itraconazole	Greater activity against Candida albicans	[100]
Diallyl disulfide	Greater activity against C. albicans	[101]
Fluconazole	Effective against corneal fungal infections	[102]
Miconazole	Effective against Trichophyton rubrum	[103]
Nisin and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid	Better effect in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus	[106]
Gallidermin	Better antibacterial effects against Propionibacterium acnes and S. aureus	[108]
Propolis	Enhanced antimicrobial effect	[110]
Gatifloxacin	Effective against ocular infections	[111]
Moxifloxacin	Used for topical microbial infections	[112]
Bismuth-ethanedithiol and tobramycin	Effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa	[114]

Drug/compound(s)	Effects	Reference(s)
Doxorubicin	Decreased proliferation of sarcoma cells	[26, 57]
Daunorubicin hydrochloride	Destroyed Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma cells	[52]
Bleomycin	Accumulated in higher levels at the tumor site	[52]
Methotrexate	Enhanced antitumor activity against sarcoma	[58]
5-Fluorouracil	Enhanced drug penetration in the treatment of skin cancer	[59]
Vincristine	Enhanced antitumor activity against sarcoma	[5]
Tocotrienol	Enhanced cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cells	[61]
Curcumin	Enhanced cytotoxic and apoptotic effects toward ovarian cancer cells	[63]
Curcumin and doxorubicin hydrochloride	Enhanced cytotoxicity toward cervical cancer cells	[64]
Artemisinin	Cytotoxic toward melanoma cells	[68]
Tamoxifen citrate	Greater cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell line	[70]
Mitoxantrone	Greater cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer and breast cancer cell lines	[71]
Cisplatin	Enhanced cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cells	[73]

Niosomes: a review of their structure, properties, methods of preparation, and medical applications

Article Category: Review article

Published Online: Mar 21, 2018

Page range: 301 - 314

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/abm-2018-0002

Keywords
drug-delivery system, medical applications, methods of preparation, niosomes, structure

© 2017 Pei Ling Yeo, Chooi Ling Lim, Soi Moi Chye, Anna Pick Kiong Ling, Rhun Yian Koh

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Drugs/compounds encapsulated in niosomes and their antibacterial or antifungal effects

Drugs/compounds encapsulated in niosomes and their anticancer effects

Niosomes: a review of their structure, properties, methods of preparation, and medical applications

Article Category: Review article

Published Online: Mar 21, 2018

Page range: 301 - 314

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/abm-2018-0002

Keywordsdrug-delivery system, medical applications, methods of preparation, niosomes, structure

© 2017 Pei Ling Yeo, Chooi Ling Lim, Soi Moi Chye, Anna Pick Kiong Ling, Rhun Yian Koh

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Drugs/compounds encapsulated in niosomes and their antibacterial or antifungal effects

Drugs/compounds encapsulated in niosomes and their anticancer effects

Keywords
drug-delivery system, medical applications, methods of preparation, niosomes, structure