**1.6 Resealed erythrocytes**

The fluid portion of blood contains a large number of organic and inorganic substances in solution, which may diffusible (electrolyte, anabolic and catabolic substance formed during metabolism) and non-diffusible (proteins). The cellular portion of blood consists of erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells) and thrombocytes (platelets). Erythrocytes have a solid content of about 35% (rest of being water) most of which is hemoglobin, which is remain tightly bound to the stroma of cell membrane [14]. Resealed erythrocytes are drug-loaded carrier erythrocytes, prepared simply by collecting blood samples from the organism of interest, separating erythrocytes from plasma, entrapping drug in the erythrocytes, and resealing the resultant cellular carriers. Hence, these carriers are called resealed erythrocytes [14].

#### **1.7 Aquasomes**

Aquasomes are the nano-structured biopharmaceutical vesicles based upon fundamental principle of self-assembling. It contains the particle core composed of nano-crystalline calcium phosphate or ceramic diamond, and is covered by a polyhydroxyl oligomeric film. Aquasomes are also called as "bodies of water". The drug candidates/molecule delivered by Aquasomes represent better biological activity even in case of conformationally sensitive ones. Aquasome having properties like protection and preservation of fragile biological molecules, conformational integrity, and surface exposure made it as a successful carrier system for bioactive molecules like peptide, protein, hormones, antigens and genes to specific sites [21].

**131**

*Drug Delivery through Targeted Approach with Special References to Phytosomes*

Phytosomes is the combination of two words, the term "PHYTO" means plant while "SOME" means cell-like [25]. The formulation is developed by encapsulating the plant material or plant extract within the spherical cell like structure, which is an advanced nano-sphere or cell forms of herbal products that are better absorbed. Phytosomes produces better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of drug than conventional herbal formulations. It's a novel emerging technique that is applied to phytopharmaceuticals for the enhancement of bioavailability of natural plant extract for medicinal applications. Phytomedicines, complex chemical mixture prepared from plants, have been used in India and worldwide from the very beginning of human civilization and continue to have

Phytosome is a patented process developed by Indena, a leading supplier of nutraceutical ingredients, to incorporate phospholipids into standardized extract and so vastly improve their absorption and utilization. Phytosome is one kind of herbal extracts delivery system that deliver natural values at target site in such manner. Certain of the water-soluble phytomolecules (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

Phytosomes are better able making transition from a hydrophilic environment into the lipid-friendly environment of the enterocyte cell membrane and from there into the cell, finally reaching the blood. The lipid- phase substances employed to make flavonoids lipid- compatible are phospholipids from soy, mainly phosphatidylcholine (PC). PC, the principal molecular building block of cell membranes, is miscible both in water and in oil/lipid environments and is well absorbed when taken by mouth. Precise chemical analysis indicates that a Phytosome is usually a hydrophilic herbal extract linked with at least one PC molecule. A bond is formed between the two molecules, creating a hybrid molecule. This highly lipid-miscible hybrid bond is better suited to merge into the lipid phase of the enterocyte outer

The fundamental difference between liposomes and Phytosomes is that in liposomes the active principle is dissolved in the medium contained in the cavity or in the layers of the membrane, whereas in the Phytosome it is an integral part of the membrane, being the molecules anchored through chemical bonds to the polar head

There may be hundreds or even thousands of phosphatidylcholine molecules surrounding the water soluble compound in Liposome. In contrast, the Phytosome contain Phosphatidylcholine and the individual plant components actually form a 1:1 or a 2:1 complex depending on the substance. This difference show that Phytosomes being much better absorbed than liposomes. Phytosomes are superior

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86644*

**1.8 Phytosomes**

widespread popular use [26].

compositions [19].

cell membrane [19].

of the phospholipid [20].

**2. Difference between phytosome and liposome**

to liposomes in skin care products [27, 28] (**Figure 3**). Phytosome (lower segment) liposome (upper segment). *Drug Delivery through Targeted Approach with Special References to Phytosomes DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86644*

## **1.8 Phytosomes**

*Role of Novel Drug Delivery Vehicles in Nanobiomedicine*

easy and rapid change in shape of transferosome [17].

Discomes (disc shaped vesicles) are large (16–20 μm) sized vesicles structures capable of entrapping water soluble solutes, formed by solubilization of niosomes with a nonionic surfactant. They act as drug reservoirs in the field of drug delivery [16].

Transferosomes are complex vesicular aggregate optimized to attain extremely flexible and self-regulating membrane; this makes the vesicles very deformable. Transferosome have the property to cross microporous barrier very efficiently, even when available passage are much smaller than the average aggregate size. Transferosome consists of natural amphipathic compound suspended in waterbased solution, something containing biocompatible surfactant. Transferosome also have lipid bilayer that surrounds an aqueous core and contain at least one component that soften the membrane and make skin more flexible. This allows an

Ethosomes are lipid vesicles containing high amount of ethanol. They have the efficiency to penetrate the skin and enhance compound delivery both to deep skin strata and systemically. Ethanol fluidizes both lipid bilayers of the stratum corneum and intercellular lipid. The soft malleable vesicles then penetrate the disorganized

The fluid portion of blood contains a large number of organic and inorganic substances in solution, which may diffusible (electrolyte, anabolic and catabolic substance formed during metabolism) and non-diffusible (proteins). The cellular portion of blood consists of erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells) and thrombocytes (platelets). Erythrocytes have a solid content of about 35% (rest of being water) most of which is hemoglobin, which is remain tightly bound to the stroma of cell membrane [14]. Resealed erythrocytes are drug-loaded carrier erythrocytes, prepared simply by collecting blood samples from the organism of interest, separating erythrocytes from plasma, entrapping drug in the erythrocytes, and resealing the resultant cellular carriers. Hence, these carriers are called resealed

Aquasomes are the nano-structured biopharmaceutical vesicles based upon fundamental principle of self-assembling. It contains the particle core composed of nano-crystalline calcium phosphate or ceramic diamond, and is covered by a polyhydroxyl oligomeric film. Aquasomes are also called as "bodies of water". The drug candidates/molecule delivered by Aquasomes represent better biological activity even in case of conformationally sensitive ones. Aquasome having properties like protection and preservation of fragile biological molecules, conformational integrity, and surface exposure made it as a successful carrier system for bioactive molecules like peptide, protein, hormones, antigens and genes to specific sites [21].

lipid bilayer. This system consists of phospholipid, ethanol and water [18].

**1.3 Discomes**

**1.4 Transferesome**

**1.5 Ethosomes**

**1.6 Resealed erythrocytes**

erythrocytes [14].

**1.7 Aquasomes**

**130**

Phytosomes is the combination of two words, the term "PHYTO" means plant while "SOME" means cell-like [25]. The formulation is developed by encapsulating the plant material or plant extract within the spherical cell like structure, which is an advanced nano-sphere or cell forms of herbal products that are better absorbed. Phytosomes produces better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of drug than conventional herbal formulations. It's a novel emerging technique that is applied to phytopharmaceuticals for the enhancement of bioavailability of natural plant extract for medicinal applications. Phytomedicines, complex chemical mixture prepared from plants, have been used in India and worldwide from the very beginning of human civilization and continue to have widespread popular use [26].

Phytosome is a patented process developed by Indena, a leading supplier of nutraceutical ingredients, to incorporate phospholipids into standardized extract and so vastly improve their absorption and utilization. Phytosome is one kind of herbal extracts delivery system that deliver natural values at target site in such manner. Certain of the water-soluble phytomolecules (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 [19].

Phytosomes are better able making transition from a hydrophilic environment into the lipid-friendly environment of the enterocyte cell membrane and from there into the cell, finally reaching the blood. The lipid- phase substances employed to make flavonoids lipid- compatible are phospholipids from soy, mainly phosphatidylcholine (PC). PC, the principal molecular building block of cell membranes, is miscible both in water and in oil/lipid environments and is well absorbed when taken by mouth. Precise chemical analysis indicates that a Phytosome is usually a hydrophilic herbal extract linked with at least one PC molecule. A bond is formed between the two molecules, creating a hybrid molecule. This highly lipid-miscible hybrid bond is better suited to merge into the lipid phase of the enterocyte outer cell membrane [19].
