Title:Novel Vesicular Bilosomal Delivery Systems for Dermal/Transdermal
Applications
Volume: 21
Issue: 7
Author(s): Vasanti Suvarna, Rashmi Mallya, Kajal Deshmukh, Bhakti Sawant, Tabassum Asif Khan*Abdelwahab Omri*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Quality Assurance, SVKM’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy,
Mumbai 400056, Maharashtra, India
- The Novel Drug & Vaccine Delivery Systems Facility, Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Keywords:
Bilosomes, bile salts, liposomes, vesicular carriers, transdermal, dermal.
Abstract: The application of therapeutically active molecules through the dermal/transdermal route into
the skin has evolved as an attractive formulation strategy in comparison to oral delivery systems for the
treatment of various disease conditions. However, the delivery of drugs across the skin is limited due to
poor permeability. Dermal/transdermal delivery is associated with ease of accessibility, enhanced safety,
better patient compliance, and reduced variability in plasma drug concentrations. It has the ability to
bypass the first-pass metabolism, which ultimately results in steady and sustained drug levels in the
systemic circulation. Vesicular drug delivery systems, including bilosomes, have gained significant
interest due to their colloidal nature, improved drug solubility, absorption, and bioavailability with prolonged
circulation time for a large number of new drug molecules. Bilosomes are novel lipid vesicular
nanocarriers comprising bile salts, such as deoxycholic acid, sodium cholate, deoxycholate, taurocholate,
glycocholate or sorbitan tristearate. These bilosomes are associated with high flexibility, deformability, and
elasticity attributed to their bile acid component. These carriers are advantageous in terms of improved skin
permeation, increased dermal and epidermal drug concentration, and enhanced local action with reduced
systemic absorption of the drug, resulting in reduced side effects. The present article provides a comprehensive
overview of the biopharmaceutical aspects of dermal/transdermal bilosome delivery systems, their
composition, formulation techniques, characterization methods, and applications.
