The Niosomes: An Overview In Ocular Drug Delivery System As An Advanced Approach

Abstract

Eye infections are a common issue in primary care and a significant healthcare concern. Conditions such as conjunctivitis, epithelial keratitis, and glaucoma represent prevalent infectious diseases affecting the eye. Patients afflicted with these infections commonly experience symptoms such as inflammation, eye pain, redness, watery release, and unclear vision. Topical formulations are recommended for treating eye infections due to their ease of use. However, effectively delivering drugs to various eye structures and addressing ocular problems presents challenges.Presently, topical eye drops are the primary method for treating anterior eye conditions. Regrettably, these ophthalmic solutions are quicklyeliminated from the eye’s surface, resulting in limited drug availability. Therefore, the progress of innovative drug delivery systems capable of sustaining drug concentration over extended periods is essential. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field in ophthalmology, offering specialized carriers like Niosomes, Liposomes, and polymer-based vesicles to enhance drug transfer and release, thus improving drug effectiveness.Niosomes, in particular, have garnered attention due to their stability in comparison to Liposomes, which can degrade under specific conditions. Niosomes are created by the mixture of non-ionic surfactants and cholesterol using different strategies such as Thin Film Hydration, Ether Injection, Sonication, Reverse Phase Evaporation, Bubble Formation, Hand Shaking, Heating, Freeze and Thaw, among others. These Niosomes can then be transformed into Niosomal Gel by incorporating Carbopol 934. The prepared Niosomal Gel is subject to evaluation through various parameters, including Transmission Electron Microscopy, Entrapment Efficiency, pH Determination, Stability Analysis, Viscosity Measurement, and In Vitro Drug Release, among others.