Niosomes, an alternative for liposomal delivery

Niosomes are used in studies for drug delivery or gene transfer. However, their physical properties and features relative to liposomes are not well documented. To characterize and more rationally optimize niosome formulations, the properties of these vesicle systems are compared to those of liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine lipids plus cholesterol. Niosomes are highly stable and only slightly more leaky than liposomes as assayed by calcein leakage; the permeability for ions (KCl) is higher than that of liposomes. Contrary to liposomes, the size of niosomes decreases substantially upon freezing in liquid nitrogen and subsequent thawing, as shown by cryo-EM and dynamic light scattering. The packing of niosomal membranes was determined by laurdan fluorescence and is slightly lower than that of liposomes. We did not succeed in the functional reconstitution of the L-arginine/L-ornithine antiporter ArcD2 in niosomes, which we attribute to the non-ionic nature of the surfactants. The antimicrobial peptides alamethicin and melittin act similarly on niosomes and liposomes composed of unsaturated components, whereas both niosomes and liposomes are unaffected when saturated amphiphiles are used. In conclusion, in terms of stability and permeability for drug-size molecules niosomes are comparable to liposomes and they may offer an excellent, inexpensive alternative for delivery purposes.