Niosomes: a promising drug delivery system

Abstract

Targeting is a phenomenon in which the distribution of a drug in the body occurs in such a way that the main part of it interacts with the target tissue at the cellular or subcellular level to achieve the desired pharmacological effect on the selected site without undesirable interactions in other organs. This can be achieved using a drug delivery system such as niosomes, which are non-ionic vesicles of surfactants obtained by hydrating synthetic non-ionic surfactants with the inclusion of cholesterol. They are vestibular systems similar to liposomes that can be used as carriers of amphiphilic or lipophilic drugs. Niosomes are a promising drug delivery tool, and it has been widely evaluated as a possibility of controlled release and targeted delivery of the active substance for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, viral and other infectious diseases. It can be assumed that encapsulation of the drug in the vesicular system prolongs its presence in the systemic circulation and increases the possibility of penetration into the target tissue, possibly reducing toxicity if selective absorption can be achieved.