NIOSOMES IN OCULAR DRUG DELIVERY

Gopa Roy Biswas* and Sutapa Biswas Majee

ABSTRACT

The common principle behind the success of pharmacotherapy is that the suitable drug should be present in proper concentration at the site of action for a sufficient period of time. Drug delivery in ophthalmic treatment is very challenging because of the distinctive anatomy and physiology of eye containing different barriers like many layers of cornea, sclera and retina, blood retinal, lachrymal fluid-eye barrier and drug loss from the ocular surface. To overcome those obstacles, vesicular systems especially Niosomes, a non-ionic surfactant-based vesicle are preferred due to their stability and ability to promote drug absorption by modifying the permeability of the conjunctival and scleral membranes of ophthalmic region. They provide prolonged duration of action by preventing ocular metabolism in the lachrymal fluid. Niosomes have wide access in the treatment of inflammation, dry eye, allergy, ocular hypertension, and glaucoma. In addition, it has the advantage of drug to be administered in the form of a drop, which shows significant advancement in prolonging the preocular retention on the eye surface and improvement of transcorneal penetration of novel therapeutic agents.

Keywords: Niosome, Vesicular system, Non-ionic surfactants, Glaucoma.