Comparative Analysis of Liposomal and Surfactant-Based Drug Delivery Systems

The pharmaceutics world today is rapidly transforming with the evolution of next-generation drug delivery systems. The current article discusses the history, mechanism of action, application, and limitations of liposomal and surfactant-based drug delivery systems. Liposomes have evolved from simple bilayer vesicles to advanced PEGylated nanocarriers that are common today in wide use for site-specific chemotherapeutic and biologic delivery. Surfactant-based products such as micelles and emulsions increase drug solubility and bioavailability and bring definitive benefits to drug resistance management.The review gives a critical appraisal of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals like Doxil®, illustrated with clinical effectiveness and regulatory impact. Challenges in immune responses, stability, and scalability issues are well-explored with focus on keeping commercialization as a concern. Comparative views postulate complementary strengths of surfactant carriers and liposomes in which the former possesses ease in formulation and facilitation of permeability and the latter possesses targeting and biocompatibility advantage.Based on integration of 25 key primary source pieces of information, the article provides birds-eye view of current capability and constraint, and direction in the future as hybrid delivery systems and novel nanocarrier design. The aim of this article is to raise awareness among researchers, clinicians, and regulators of translational and therapeutic potential of such systems and highlight the necessity of interdisciplinary solutions towards bridging contemporary constraints to clinical take-up.