Abstract
Niosomes are a type of vesicular nanocarrier exploited for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of various drugs in clinical practice. Niosomes comprise a bilayer hydrophobic membrane enclosing a central cavity filled with an aqueous phase, and therefore, they can encapsulate and deliver both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances. Niosomal nanocarriers are preferred over other bilayer structures such as liposomes due to their chemical stability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, low production cost, low toxicity, and easy storage and handling. In addition, the niosomal membrane can be easy modified by the inclusion of ligands or stimulus-sensitive segments for achieving targeted delivery and triggered release of the encapsulated cargo. This mini-review outlines the current advances in designing functional niosomes and their use as platforms for developing advanced drug and gene delivery systems.