Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surfactant systems: Microemulsions and vesicles as vehicles for drug delivery

  • Published:
European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Although surfactants have been widely used as pharmaceutical adjuvants for many years, it is only relatively recently that their phase structures have been seriously considered as drug delivery vehicles per se. This review highlights the work to date investigating the potential of microemulsions as drug cariers and also reports on preliminary studies performed on the use of vesicles formed from nonionic surfactants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Non-ionic surfactant systems: their use in drug delivery. Chem. Soc. Rev. Inpress.

  2. Mitchell, D.J., Tiddy, G.J.T., Waring, L., Bostock, T., McDonald, M.P. (1983) Phase behaviour of polyoxyethylene surfactant with water. Mesophase structures and partial miscibility (cloud points). J. Chem. Soc. Trans. I, 79, 975–1000.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aboofazeli, R., Lawrence, C.B., Wicks, S.R., Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Investigations into the formation and characterization of phospholipid microemulsions. III. Pseudoternary phase diagrams of systems containing water-lecithin-isopropyl myristate and either an alkanoic acid, amine, alkanediol, polyethylene glycol alkyl ether or alcohol as cosurfactant. Int. J. Pharm., III, 63–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Langevin, D. (1986) Recent advances in the physics of microemulsions. Physica Scripta. T3, 252–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Rosano, H.L. (1984) Introduction. In H.L. Rosano & M. Clausse (eds) Microemulsions systems. Marcel Dekker, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Danielsson, I., Lindman, B. (1981) The definition of microemulsion. Colloids Surf., 3, 391–392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Friberg, S.E. (1983) Comments on “the definition of microemulsion”. Colloids Surf., 4, 201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chevalier, Y., Zemb, T. (1990) The structure of micelles and microemulsions. Rep. Prog. Phys. 53, 279–371.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Friberg, S.E. (1983) Microemulsions. Progr. Colloid Polym. Sci. 68, 41–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Siano, D.B. (1983) The swollen micelle-microemulsion transition. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 93, 1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Scriven, L.E. (1977) Equilibrium bicontinuous structures. In K.L. Mittal (ed) Micellization, solubilization and microemulsions. Vol. 2. Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Rushforth, D.S., Sanchez-Rubio, M., Santos-Vidals, L.M., Wormuth, K.R., Kaler, E.W., Cuevas, R., Puig, J.E. (1986) Structural study of one-phase microemulsions. J. Phys. Chem. 90, 6668–6673.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Davis, H.T., Bodet, J.F., Scriven, L.E., Miller, W.G. (1989) Microstructure and transport in midrange microemulsions. Physica A, 157, 470–481.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lam, A.C., Schechter, R.S. (1987) The theory of diffusion in microemulsion. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 120, 56–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Attwood, D. (1994) Microemulsions. In J. Kreuter (ed) Colloidal Drug Delivery Systems. Marcel Dekker, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Attwood, D., Florence, A.T. (1983) Surfactant systems. Their Chemistry, Pharmacy and Biology. Chapman and Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Malcolmson, C., Lawrence, M.J. (1993) A comparison of the incorporation of steroids into nonionic micellar and microemulsion systems. J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 45, 141–143.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Attwood, D., Mallon, C., Kstistis, G., Taylor, C.J. (1989) A study on factors influencing the droplet size in oil-in-water microemulsions. Int. J. Pharm. 52, 165–171.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Aboofazeli, R., Lawrence, M.J. (1993) Investigations into the formation and characterization of phospholipid microemulsions. I. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of systems containing water-lecithin-alcohol-ispropyl myristate. Int. J. Pharm. 93, 161–175.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Aboofazeli, R., Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Investigations into the formation and characterization of phospholipid microemulsions. II. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of systems containing water-lecithin-ispropyl myristate and alcohol: Influence of purity of lecithin. Int. J. Pharm., 106, 51–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Attwood, D., Mallon, C., Taylor, C.J. (1992) Phase studies on oil-in-water phospholipid microemulsions. Int. J. Pharm., 84, R5-R8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Shinoda, K., Araki, M., Sadaghiani, A., Khan, A., Lindman, B. (1991) Lecithin-based microemulsions: Phase Behaviour and microemulsions. J. Phys. Chem., 95, 989–993.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Malcolmson, C., Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Three-component nonionic oil-in-water microemulsions using polyoxyethylene ether surfactants. Colloids Surf. B. Accepted

  24. Schurtenberger, P., Peng, Q., Leser, M.E., Luisi, P.-L. (1993) Structure and phase behaviour of lecithin-based microemulsions: A study of chain length dependence. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 156, 43–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Eicke, H.-F. (1979) On the cosurfactant concept. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 68, 440–450.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Mehta, C., Thomas, M., Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Lecithin based oil-in-water microemulsions. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. Accepted.

  27. Weincek, J.M., Qutubuddin, S. (1991) Solubilization in nonionic microemulsions. Colloids Surf., 54, 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Calfors, J., Blute, I., Schmidt, V. (1991) Lidocaine in microemulsion #x2014; a dermal delivery system. J. Disp. Sci. Tech., 12, 467–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Mitchell, D.J., Ninham, B.W. (1981) Micelles, vesicles and microemulsions. J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 2, 77, 601–629.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Israelchvili, J.N., Mitchell, D.J., Ninham, B.W. (1976) Theory of self assembly of hydrocarbon amphiphiles into micelles and bilayers. J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 2, 72, 1525–1567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Lawrence, S.M., Lawrence, M.J., Barlow, D.J. (1991) VESICA: Comuter graphics modelling of lipid vesicles. J. Mol. Graphics, 9, 218–225.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Schulman, J.H., Stoeckenius, W., Prince, L.M. (1959) Mechansim of formation and structure of microemulsions by electron microscopy. J. Phys. Chem., 63, 1677–1680.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Aveyard, R., Binks, B.P., Flectcher, P.D.I. (1989) Interfacial tensions and aggregate structure in C12E5/oil/water microemulsion systems. Langmuir, 5, 1210–1217. &5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Binks, B.P., Meunier, J., Langevin, D. (1989) Characteristics sizes, film rigidity and interfacial tensions in microemulsion systems. Progr. Colloid Polym. Sci., 79, 208–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Patel, N., Thomas, M., Aboofazeli, R. & Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Personnel communication.

  36. Elworthy, P.H., Patel, M.S. (1982) Demonstration of maximium solubilization in a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether series of nonionic surfactants. J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 34, 543–546.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Malcolmson, C.A. (1992) The physico-chemical properties of nonionic oil-in-water microemulsions. PhD Thesis, University of London.

  38. Musana, G., Aboofazeli, R & Lawrence, M.J. (1994) Personnel communication.

  39. Muller-Goymann, C.C., Hamann, H.-J. (1993) Sustained release from reverse micellar solutions by phase transformations into lamellar liquid crystals. J. Control. Rel., 23, 165–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Gregoriadis, G. (1983) In G. Gregoriadis, (ed) Liposome Technology. CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Woddle, M.C., Lasic, D.D. (1992) Sterically stabilized liposomes. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1113, 171–199.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Park, Y.S., Huang, L. (1993) Effect of chemically modified GM1 and analogs of GM1 on liposome circulation time: evidence supporting the dysopsonin hypothesis. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1166, 105–114.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Blume, G., Cevc, G. (1993) Molecular mechanism of the lipid vesicle longevity in vivo. Biochim. Biophys. Acta., 1146, 157–168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Napper, D. (1984) In J.W. Goodwin (ed) Stabilisation of Colloidal Dispersions. Royal Society of Chemistry, London.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Tomlinson, E. (1987) Theory and practice of site-specific drug delivery. Adv. Drug. Del. Rev., 1, 87–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Chauhan, S., Lawrence, M.J. (1989) The preparation of polyoxyethylene containing non-ionic vesicles. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 41(Suppl) 6P.

  47. Lawrence, S.M., Tipple, S.C., Barlow, D.J., Lawrence, M.J. (1991) Structure of novel nonionic surfactant vesicles. Pharm. Res., 7(Suppl) 7291.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Lawrence, M.J., Lawrence, S.M., Chauhan, S. & Barlow, D.J. (1994) Synthesis and aggregation properties of dialkyl polyoxyethylene glycerol ethers. Submitted.

  49. Chauhan, S.K. (1993) The synthesis and characterization of vesicle forming nonionic surfactants. PhD Thesis, University of London.

  50. Lawrence, S.M. (1992) Characterization and computer modelling of nonvel nonionic surfactant vesicles. PhD Thesis, University of London.

  51. Roberts, C.J., Davios, M.C., Jackson, D.E., Tandler, S.J.B., Lawrence, S.M., Lawrence, M.J., Chauhan, S., Barlow, D.J. (1991) Imaging of surfactant vesicles by scanning tunnelling microscopy. J. Pharm. Pharmaca., 43 (Suppl) 1368.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy King's College London, University of London, Manzera Road, SW3 6LX, London, England

    M Jayne Lawrence (Lecturer in Pharmacy)

Authors
  1. M Jayne Lawrence
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lawrence, M.J. Surfactant systems: Microemulsions and vesicles as vehicles for drug delivery. Eur. J. Drug Metab. Pharmacokinet. 19, 257–269 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03188929

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03188929

Keywords

Search

Navigation