Preparation and Quality Evaluation of Anti-Tuberculosis Rifampicin-Loaded Liposomes

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), remains a leading global infectious killer with a heavy disease burden in China, exacerbated by the spread of multidrug/rifampicin-resistant TB and critical limitations of conventional chemotherapy-including poor drug penetration, severe systemic toxicities, and low treatment compliance. Liposomal delivery systems offer unique advantages for anti-TB therapy, yet their development is hindered by inconsistent preparation processes, low drug loading efficiency, and the lack of a standardized quality evaluation framework. In this study, the thin-film hydration method, combined with ultrasonic treatment and filtration, was used to prepare rifampicin-loaded nanoliposomes with different phospholipid-to-cholesterol ratios. A validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was established to determine encapsulation efficiency and drug loading. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize particle size, zeta potential, and microscopic morphology, and in vitro drug release profiles were analyzed by dissolution testing. The optimized liposomes exhibited high encapsulation efficiency, ideal drug loading, uniform nanoscale particle size, good storage stability, and sustained in vitro drug release. This work provides standardized experimental methods and a comprehensive quality evaluation system for the development of anti-TB liposomes, supporting the clinical translation of liposomal delivery systems for TB treatment.