International Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation, 2014, 4, 4, 149-155.
DOI: 10.4103/2230-973X.143112
Published: October 2014
Type: Review Article
Authors:
Thushara Bindu Dudala
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Prasanna Raju Yalavarthi
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Harini Chowdary Vadlamudi
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Jyotsna Thanniru
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Gowri Yaga
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Naga Lakshmi Mudumala
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Vivek Kumar Pasupati
Pharmaceutics Division, Sree Vidyankethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.
ABSTRACT
Both hydrophilic and lipophilic therapeutics can be delivered successfully into deep and peripheral tissues such as cerebrospinal f uid and central nervous system by encapsulating them with crystalline lipids as lipospheres. The advent of lipospheres was meant to deliver both therapeutic moieties with enhanced efficacy and added stability to reach out intended tissue areas. Although extensive information is available on physicochemical, analytical and biopharmaceutical aspects of lipospheres, there was no specific order pertaining to critical composition and rationale of component selection available for academic and pilot scale processing of lipospheres. With the interest of compiling key points in a typical formulation of lipid lipospheres, this article was intrigued to discuss melt method, co-solvent, microemulsion, super critical fluid, spray drying and spray congealing techniques that were employed to scale up lipospheres. The selection criteria for both the drugs and lipids in liposphere formulations were demonstrated here. The quality assessment with variables like loading capacity and entrapment efficiency was explained. A note on preliminary screening factors to determine the liposphere formation such as liposphere dimensions with morphological scenario was detailed in this article. This article also includes the stability and storage issues with reference to photolysis. The marked differential in enhancing solubility and permeability characteristics of Class II and IV drug candidates by liposphere delivery systems with an evident of in vivo outcomes were emphasized.
Keywords: Critical composition, Entrapment efficiency, Lipids, Loading capacity, Morphology, Stability .