Evaluation and Safety Study of Taraxacum Officinale Niosomes

Abstract

Phytosome process has been applied to many popular herbal extract including Gingko biloba, grape see, hawthorn, milk thistle, green tea and ginseng. The flavonoids and terpenoid components of these herbal extracts lend themselves quite well for the direct binding to Phosphatidylcholine. Phytosomes is produced by binding individual components of herbal extract to phosphatidylcholine, resulting in a dosage form that is better absorbed and thus, produces better result than the conventional herbal extract. Niosomes are one of the drug delivery system for targeting the specific site of the liver, brain etc. The objective of the present study was to encapsulate the drug in niosomal vesicles to reduce pulse entry of drug and to achieve sustained release when administered intravenously. The objective was further extended to target niosomes to liver schizontocidal stage of malarial parasites, thus to reduce dose related toxicity of the drug.
Literature revealed that the liver targeting agents like DMPC used in the vesicular formulation accumulate the maximum amount of drug in targeted cells, which would help in reducing the dose of the drug and it`s dose related toxicity. Certain of the water-soluble phyto-molecules (mainly flavonoids and other polyphenols) can be converted into lipid-friendly complexes, by reacting herbal extract owing to their enhanced capacity to cross the lipid-rich biomembranes and finally, reach the blood. They have improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacological parameters which are advantageous in the treatment of acute disease as well as in pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions.
Keywords: DMPC, Phytosomes, Niosomes