Addressing the Superior Drug Delivery Performance of Bilosomes─A Microscopy and Fluorescence Study

The global health scenario in present times has raised human awareness about drug delivery strategies. Among colloidal drug delivery vehicles, vesicular nanocarriers such as liposomes and niosomes are popular. However, liposomes and niosomes get disrupted in the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract. In this context, the drug delivery community has reported the superior performance of vesicles containing bile salts, that is, bilosomes. The present work attempts to examine the structural/morphological aspects underlying the superior performance of bilosomes. Optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and light scattering give a definite proof of the enhanced stability of bilosomes compared to niosomes, both prepared from the same amphiphilic molecule. Fluorescence probing of the vesicles provides detailed insight into the bilayer characteristics and the differences between bilosomes and niosomes. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies lend further support to the findings that bilosomes have a more flexible bilayer structure than niosomes. The entrapment efficiency of the vesicles for the well-known antioxidant curcumin (whose bioavailability is a matter of concern due to low water solubility) was also studied. Bilosomes show higher curcumin entrapment efficiency than niosomes. For use in drug delivery, one needs to establish a trade-off between cargo/drug entrapment and release. Thus, a flexible bilayer structure is an advantage.