Liposomes as delivery systems for antibiotics

Liposomes are currently in common use as universal drug carriers in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The manipulation of different physicochemical properties of liposomes enables the design of particular carriers with the desired pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Most studies regarding liposomal antibiotics deal with aminoglycosides, quinolones, polypeptides, and betalactames. Some of the studies focused on improving pharmacokinetics and reducing toxicity, while others involved enhancing antibacterial activity. In an era of an avalanche of increasing bacterial resistance and severe problems in treating bacterial infections, the application of liposomal antibiotic carriers could be useful, but the high cost of liposome preparation and treatment should also be considered. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.