Affiliation:
1. Department of Pharmaceutics, University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Punjab, India
2. Department of Pharmacology, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India
Abstract
Background:
Bioavailability is the dissimilarity between the total amount of drug exposure
to a person and the actual dose received by his body. The difference in bioavailability between
formulations of a given drug can have clinical implications.
Method:
Poor aqueous solubility, inappropriate partition coefficient, high first-pass metabolism,
narrow absorption window, and acidic pH of the stomach are the main reasons behind the low
bioavailability of drugs. There are three substantial methods to vanquish these bioavailability issues,
namely pharmacokinetic, biological, and pharmaceutical approaches.
Results:
In the pharmacokinetic approach a drug molecule is improved by making alterations in its
chemical structure. In the biological approach, the course of administration of the drug is changed;
for example, if a drug has very less oral bioavailability, it can be injected as parenteral or some
other route if feasible. In the pharmaceutical approach to enhance bioavailability, the physiochemical
properties of the drug or formulation are modified. It is cost-effective, less time-consuming,
and the risk factor is also minimum. Co-solvency, particle size reduction, hydrotrophy, solid dispersion,
micellar solubilisation, complexation, and colloidal drug delivery systems are some of the
commonly used methods to enhance the dissolution profiles of drugs via the pharmaceutical approach.
Similar to liposomes, niosomes are also vesicular carrier systems but non-ionic surfactants
are used instead of phospholipids in their formulation, i.e., their bilayer is comprised of non-ionic
surfactants that encircle the aqueous compartment. The niosomes are presumed to raise the bioavailability
of poorly water-soluble drugs by increasing their uptake by the M cells present in Peyer's
patches of lymphatic tissues of the intestine.
Conclusion:
Niosomal technology has become an attractive method to overcome several limitations
due to its various merits like biodegradability, high stability, non-immunogenic nature, low
cost, and flexibility to incorporate lipophilic as well as hydrophilic drugs. The bioavailability of
many BCS class II and IV drugs has been successfully enhanced using niosomal technology, like
Griseofulvin, Paclitaxel, Candesartan Cilexetil, Carvedilol, Clarithromycin, Telmisartan, and
Glimepiride. Niosomal technology has also been exploited for brain targeting via nasal delivery for
many drugs like Nefopam, Pentamidine, Ondansetron HCl, and Bromocriptine mesylate. Based on
this data, it can be concluded that niosomal technology has increased importance in bioavailability
enhancement and improving the overall performance of molecules in vitro and in vivo. Thus, niosomal
technology holds tremendous potential for scale-up applications, overcoming the drawbacks
of conventional dosage forms.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Biomedical Engineering,Pharmaceutical Science