Oleosomes as emerging Next-Generation carrier for topical drug delivery

Oleosomes are natural oil bodies extracted from plant seeds and are becoming promising candidates for topical drug-delivery carriers because of their unique structure, biocompatibility, and sustainable nature. This study primarily focuses on exploring the potential of oleosomes with regard to their structural characteristics, extraction strategies, loading approaches, release mechanisms, and their wide range of applications compared with other carrier systems. Current challenges such as the low loading capacity for hydrophilic drugs, lack of regulatory standardization, and allergenicity are being addressed through evolving approaches including hybrid oleosome-liposome systems, recombinant oleosin engineering, and stimulus-responsive coatings. Marketed products and patents further emphasize the translational applicability of oleosome technology. Altogether, oleosomes represent an emerging, environmentally friendly platform for novel topical and transdermal drug delivery systems. These oleosomes are progressing as a multipurpose and scalable platform with significant potential for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications. From versatile natural emulsions to precision-targeted drug carriers, forthcoming research is converging toward strategies to advance oleosome technology. One such evolving direction is the synthetic molecular biology application to engineer "designer" oleosomes.