VESICULAR DRUG DELIVERY: NEW FRONTIERS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Vesicular drug delivery systems have become a fundamental part of modern pharmaceutical research because they offer a more targeted, controlled and reliable way to deliver medications. Carriers listing from liposomes and niosomes to ethosomes, transfersomes, phytosomes, cubosomes, and spanlastics have the ability to entrap drugs with either hydrophilic or lipophilic characteristics. Their basic structure, usually a lipid layer surrounding an aqueous core, gives them the flexibility to be used in many different applications. In recent years, these systems have been explored for a variety of delivery routes, including ocular, transdermal, pulmonary, oral, targeted and even herbal formulations. This growing interest is largely due to their ability to improve drug bioavailability, protect sensitive drugs from breaking down, control the release of therapeutic agents and reduce unwanted side effects. Ongoing improvements in how these vesicles are designed, prepared and modified on their surfaces have only increased their usefulness. Despite these benefits, vesicular systems are not without limitations. Drug leakage, physical instability and limited drug-loading capacity are some of the issues that need to be addressed for consistent performance. Recent classification are based on how they work, their function, origin or historical development reflect the continuing effort to better understand and refine these systems. Their applications now range from treating eye diseases like glaucoma and fungal keratitis to enhancing skin and lung delivery, supporting cancer therapy and improving the effectiveness of plant-based compounds.