Medical Breakthroughs From Liposomal Formulation

By Kristen Baird


Progress in research and development in the medical field is always a good indicator. Hope is bestowed when such advances take place as they signal for better and new ways to deal with diseases. Among such progress is the advent of liposomal formulation in aiding in quicker and better ways of dealing with several ailments.

The process of this formulation was discovered 50 years ago. It came about as a solution to a problem of drugs taken orally being exhausted and digested before reaching the intended target areas. The liposomal way was deemed best suited since it was a favorable carrier to both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.

The simplicity of the liposomes' structural composition is key to its performance. They are made up of an aqueous solution which is engulfed in a strengthened mesh of either natural or synthetic phospholipids. The advantage of this is that it can fuse non-reactively with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, each attaching to the element it does not react to.

Researchers have found the process of formation of these compounds may be critical to their performance. They are formed when strands of phospholipids are put in water, and a given heat amount is directed to them. The composition of the formed liposomes is tested against that of this drug it is intended to carry, so as to determine compatibility and avoid destructive reactions.

When such discoveries are made, researchers are eager to push it so as to find out if the new discovery can lead to better drugs. IN this case it did. An anthracycline drug known as Doxorubicin was developed to help control the spread of cancer. This is achieved by injecting stains of base DNA and RNA into the malignant cells. The enzyme topoisomerase is also injected at a later stage. These procedures inhibit replication of the cells actively controlling their growth.

It is due to advances in the medical field that control of many diseases is not a reality. Terminal illnesses previously viewed as a death sentence are now controllable and some even treatable. Research on cancer and liposomes has led to development of anti-cancer drugs an their carriers. The development has brought about continuing tests and usage of doxorubicin, paclitaxel, cisplatin, lipoplatin, aroplatin among others.

There has been considerable progress in the development of vaccines for diseases which do not have known cures. Such include hepatitis A, which now has a vaccine, Epaxal, under development. Inflexal V is a vaccine developed for several types of influenza especially in children. A vaccine for cancer known as Stimuvax is also in the offering.

The formulation is being investigated on how well it will serve in transportation of dietary supplements to various parts of the body. This testing is inspired by the exceptional success in performance of liposomes in targeted drug delivery. If successful, scientists will use liposomes to transport supplements to various parts of the body where they are required by the body. This procedure has been tried and worked. Therefore, its no longer a risk.




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