Critical issues related to transfersomes - novel vesicular system

Abstract

It has become increasingly apparent that vesicular drug delivery elicits modest possessions in drug targeting. Transfersomes are a form of elastic or deformable vesicle, which were first introduced in the early 1990s. Elasticity can be achieved by using an edge activator in the lipid bilayer structure. Molecules greater than 500 Da normally do not cross the skin. This prevents epicutaneous delivery of the high molecular weight therapeutics as well as non-invasive transcutaneous immunisation. Transdermal route will always remain a lucrative area for drug delivery. With the advent of new categories of drugs like peptides this route has captured more focus to combat the problems related to their delivery through oral route. But the transdermal route is equally filled with the hopes and disappointments as the transport of drug through this route faces many problems especially for the large molecules. To answer this problem many approaches were adopted. One of the very recent approaches is the use of ultra-deformable carrier systems (transfersomes). They have been used as drug carriers for a range of small molecules, peptides, proteins and vaccines, both in vitro and in vivo. Transfersomes penetrate through the pores of stratum corneum which are smaller than its size and get into the underlying viable skin in intact form. This is because of its deformable nature. The aim of this article is explanation the formation of micelle and vesicles, various types of vesicles, specifically focusing on transfersomes.