RECENT TRENDS IN LIPOSOMAL NANOCARRIERS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY

Microbial infections continue to pose a significant global health challenge due to the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, and the limited effectiveness of conventional antimicrobial therapies. Traditional antimicrobial agents often suffer from poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, rapid systemic clearance, inadequate tissue penetration, and dose-limiting toxicity, resulting in suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Liposomal nanocarriers have emerged as a promising nanotechnology-based drug delivery platform capable of addressing many of these limitations through enhanced drug encapsulation, targeted delivery, controlled release, and improved pharmacokinetic behavior. This review comprehensively discusses recent advances in liposomal nanocarriers for antimicrobial therapy, focusing on their structural characteristics, classification, formulation techniques, physicochemical properties, and mechanisms of microbial targeting and drug release. Furthermore, the review highlights the therapeutic applications of liposomal systems against bacterial, fungal, viral, and biofilm-associated infections, with particular emphasis on their role in overcoming antimicrobial resistance and enhancing intracellular drug delivery. Recent innovations, including PEGylated (stealth), ligand-targeted, cationic, and stimuli-responsive liposomes, are critically examined for their ability to improve therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity. In addition, the review summarizes clinically approved liposomal antimicrobial formulations, recent preclinical and clinical developments, and the challenges associated with large-scale manufacturing, formulation stability, regulatory approval, and commercialization. Emerging trends such as multifunctional liposomes, combination nanotherapies, artificial intelligence-assisted formulation design, and personalized antimicrobial nanomedicine are also discussed. Overall, liposomal nanocarriers represent a versatile and clinically relevant drug delivery strategy with considerable potential to enhance antimicrobial therapy, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to combating the global burden of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.