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Review
. 2022 Jan 20;23(3):1140.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23031140.

The Optimized Delivery of Triterpenes by Liposomal Nanoformulations: Overcoming the Challenges

Andreea Milan  1   2 , Alexandra Mioc  1   2 , Alexandra Prodea  1   2 , Marius Mioc  1   2 , Roxana Buzatu  3 , Roxana Ghiulai  1   2 , Roxana Racoviceanu  1   2 , Florina Caruntu  4 , Codruţa Şoica  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The Optimized Delivery of Triterpenes by Liposomal Nanoformulations: Overcoming the Challenges

Andreea Milan et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The last decade has witnessed a sustained increase in the research development of modern-day chemo-therapeutics, especially for those used for high mortality rate pathologies. However, the therapeutic landscape is continuously changing as a result of the currently existing toxic side effects induced by a substantial range of drug classes. One growing research direction driven to mitigate such inconveniences has converged towards the study of natural molecules for their promising therapeutic potential. Triterpenes are one such class of compounds, intensively investigated for their therapeutic versatility. Although the pharmacological effects reported for several representatives of this class has come as a well-deserved encouragement, the pharmacokinetic profile of these molecules has turned out to be an unwelcomed disappointment. Nevertheless, the light at the end of the tunnel arrived with the development of nanotechnology, more specifically, the use of liposomes as drug delivery systems. Liposomes are easily synthesizable phospholipid-based vesicles, with highly tunable surfaces, that have the ability to transport both hydrophilic and lipophilic structures ensuring superior drug bioavailability at the action site as well as an increased selectivity. This study aims to report the results related to the development of different types of liposomes, used as targeted vectors for the delivery of various triterpenes of high pharmacological interest.

Keywords: liposomes; nano-therapy; nanocarriers; targeted delivery; triterpenes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representation of different nanoparticles reaching targeted sites. Reprinted from Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Vol 62, Afzal Shah, Saima Aftab, Jan Nisar, Muhammad Naeem Ashiq, Faoza Jan Iftikhar, Nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery, vol. 62, 102426, Copyright (2022), with permission from Elsevier. Reprinted from the Lancet, vol. 62, Afzal Shah, Saima Aftab, Jan Nisar, Muhammad Naeem Ashiq, Faoza Jan Iftikhar, Nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery, 102426, Copyright (2022), with permission from Elsevier [13].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Classification of nanoparticles according to their morphology.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Different biomedical applications for nanocarriers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Examples of lipidic vesicular systems.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structural representation of ethosomes: classical ethosomes (A), binary ethosomes (B), and transethosomes (C). Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 6
Figure 6
General structural representation of niosomes. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Exosome structure and content. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 8
Figure 8
The structure and content of some types of lipidic vesicular systems: invasomes (A), archaeosomes (B), phytosomes (C), and pharmacosomes (D). Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 9
Figure 9
General schematic representation of a liposome structure.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Classification of liposomes by surface modification strategies: conventional liposomes (A), PEGylated liposomes (B), multifunctional liposomes (C), and ligand-targeted liposomes (D). Reprinted with permission from [192]; copyright (2022). International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Structural representation of unilamellar and multilamellar vesicles. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 12
Figure 12
Schematic representation of temperature-sensitive liposomes. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Schematic representation of pH-sensitive liposomes. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Schematic representation of antibody attachment to liposomes: antibodies are attached directly onto the surface of conventional liposomes (A), antibodies are attached directly onto the surface of PEGylated liposomes (B), and antibodies are attached to the end of PEG chains of liposomes (C). Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 15
Figure 15
Formulation mechanism of stealth liposomes. Reprinted with permission from [212]; copyright (2022). Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Chemical structure of betulinic acid.
Figure 17
Figure 17
Schematic representation of different reported BA liposomal formulations. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 18
Figure 18
Chemical structure of oleanolic acid.
Figure 19
Figure 19
Schematic representation of different reported OA liposomal formulations. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 20
Figure 20
Chemical structure of glycyrrhetinic acid.
Figure 21
Figure 21
Schematic representation of different reported GA liposomal formulations. Created with BioRender.com (accessed 10 January 2022).
Figure 22
Figure 22
Chemical structure of ursolic acid.
Figure 23
Figure 23
Schematic representation of different reported UA liposomal formulations. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 24
Figure 24
Chemical structure of lupeol.
Figure 25
Figure 25
Schematic representation of different reported lupeol and BwA liposomal formulations. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 January 2022).
Figure 26
Figure 26
Chemical structure of boswellic acid.
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