Niosomes: Introduction & Structural Composition

Introduction:

• Noisome are non-ionic surfactant vesicles that encapsulate an aqueous solution in their core.

• Similar to liposomes in their vesicular structure, noisome differ primarily in their composition.

• While liposomes are derived from natural phospholipids, noisome are formulated from synthetic non-ionic surfactants, making them less vulnerable to oxidative degradation compared to liposomes.

Here is a mind map on "Introduction to Niosomes":

Structural Composition:

• The primary components of noisome are non-ionic surfactants and cholesterol.

• The non-ionic surfactants, owing to their hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail, arrange themselves into bilayers in an aqueous environment, just as phospholipids do in liposomes.

• Cholesterol is often incorporated to control the membrane fluidity and stability of the vesicle.

Types of Noisome:

Based on the number of bilayers and size, noisome can be categorized into:

1. Small Unilamellar Vesicles (SUVs):

• Single bilayer vesicles with a small size.

2. Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUVs):

• Single bilayer vesicles but larger than SUVs.

3. Multilamellar Vesicles (MLVs):

• These have multiple concentric bilayers.

Here's a diagram illustrating the types of Noisome based on the number of bilayers and size

Preparation of Niosomes:

Various methods are employed for the preparation of niosomes, including:

1. Thin Film Hydration:

• Similar to liposomes, this involves the evaporation of the solvent from a surfactant solution to form a film, which is then hydrated with an aqueous solution.

2. Microfluidization:

• This is a two-stream fluid process where force is applied to mix a surfactant and an aqueous phase, resulting in vesicle formation.

3. Sonication:

• This technique uses ultrasonic waves to produce niosomes from a surfactant mixture.

Here's a diagram illustrating the preparation methods of Noisome

Applications, Advantages & Disadvantages of Niosomes