NIOSOMES AS NANOCARRIER SYSTEMS: A REVIEW

Nonionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) result from the organized assembly of sufficiently insoluble surfactants in aqueous media. The low cost of ingredients and manufacture, possibility of large-scale production, stability and the resultant ease of storage of niosomes have led to the exploitation of these nano carriers as alternatives to other micro and nano-encapsulation technologies. Niosomes are an already established encapsulation technology in different areas including food, biotechnology, cosmetics and pharmaceutics. This article reviews general properties of niosomes along with recent trends in their preparation methods and their applications in the encapsulation and delivery of bioactive agents via different routes.