Volume : 13, Issue : 07, July – 2026

Title:

NIOSOMES AS ADVANCED VESICULAR DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Authors :

Naaz Fatima*, Qamer Mohammadi, M Suresh Babu

Abstract :

Niosomes have been recognised as one of the most promising vesicular drug delivery systems due to their capacity to enhance the efficacy of several drugs. These small vesicles are composed of non-ionic surfactants and cholesterol. They can entrap hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, protecting them from degradation and increasing their stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. Due to their biocompatibility, low toxicity, easy preparation, and cost-effectiveness, these vesicles offer promising prospects compared to traditional drug delivery systems as well as other vesicular systems. The pharmaceutical applications of niosomes include oral, topical, transdermal, ocular, pulmonary, and parenteral drug delivery for treating cancer, infections, inflammatory, neurological and other chronic diseases. Further advances in formulation approaches, surface modifications, targeted and stimuli-responsive systems have contributed towards widening their applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Future efforts are anticipated to help address all the present limitations, thus leading to the successful development of niosomal drug delivery systems.
Keywords: Bioavailability; Controlled drug release; Drug delivery systems; Niosomes; Non-ionic surfactants; Nanocarriers; Targeted drug delivery ;.Vesicular drug delivery;

Cite This Article:

Please cite this article in press Naaz Fatima et al., Niosomes As Advanced Vesicular Drug Delivery Systems: A Comprehensive Review.,, Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(07).

REFERENCES:

1. Adepu S, Ramakrishna S. Controlled Drug Delivery Systems: Current Status and Future Directions. Molecules. 2021 Sep 29;26(19):5905.
2. Shinde, Namdeo & Aloorkar, Nagesh & Kulkarni, Ajit. (2014). Recent Advances in Vesicular Drug Delivery System. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 6. 975-4377.
3. Fadaei MS, Fadaei MR, Kheirieh AE, Rahmanian-Devin P, Dabbaghi MM, Nazari Tavallaei K, Shafaghi A, Hatami H, Baradaran Rahimi V, Nokhodchi A, Askari VR. Niosome as a promising tool for increasing the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory compounds. EXCLI J. 2024 Feb 7;23:212-263.
4. Witika BA, Bassey KE, Demana PH, Siwe-Noundou X, Poka MS. Current Advances in Specialised Niosomal Drug Delivery: Manufacture, Characterisation and Drug Delivery Applications. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Aug 26;23(17):9668.
5. Batur E, Özdemir S, Durgun ME, Özsoy Y. Vesicular Drug Delivery Systems: Promising Approaches in Ocular Drug Delivery. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024 Apr 16;17(4):511.
6. Park, Haesun & Otte, Andrew & Park, Kinam. (2021). Evolution of drug delivery systems: From 1950 to 2020 and beyond. Journal of Controlled Release. 342.
7. Bautista-Solano AA, Dávila-Ortiz G, Perea-Flores MJ, Martínez-Ayala AL. A Comprehensive Review of Niosomes: Composition, Structure, Formation, Characterisation, and Applications in Bioactive Molecule Delivery Systems. Molecules. 2025 Aug 23;30(17):3467
8. Saharawat S, Verma S. A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advances and Patents of Niosomes. Recent Pat Nanotechnol. 2025;19(3):364-380
9. Liga S, Paul C, Moacă EA, Péter F. Niosomes: Composition, Formulation Techniques, and Recent Progress as Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics. 2024 Feb 4;16(2):223
10. Arumugam K., Payal B., Jitendra S., Salonee C. Niosomes: A Novel Carrier Drug Delivery System. J. Drug Deliv. Ther. 2021;11:162–170.
11. Azeem A., Anwer M.K., Talegaonkar S. Niosomes in sustained and targeted drug delivery: Some recent advances. J. Drug Target. 2009;17:671–689.
12. Bartelds R., Nematollahi M.H., Pols T., Stuart M.C.A., Pardakhty A., Asadikaram G., Poolman B. Niosomes, an alternative for liposomal delivery. PLoS ONE. 2018;13:e0194179.
13. Liga S, Paul C, Moacă E-A, Péter F. Niosomes: Composition, Formulation Techniques, and Recent Progress as Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics. 2024; 16(2):223
14. Nsairat H, Khater D, Sayed U, Odeh F, Al Bawab A, Alshaer W. Liposomes: structure, composition, types, and clinical applications. Heliyon. 2022 May 13;8(5):e09394
15. Hnin HM, Stefánsson E, Loftsson T, Asasutjarit R, Charnvanich D, Jansook P. Physicochemical and Stability Evaluation of Topical Niosomal Encapsulating Fosinopril/γ-Cyclodextrin Complex for Ocular Delivery. Pharmaceutics. 2022 May 27;14(6):1147.
16. Nematollahi, Mohammad Hadi & Pardakhty, Abbas & Torkzadeh-Mahani, Masoud & Mehrabani, Mehrnaz & Asadikaram, Gholamreza. (2017). Changes in physical and chemical properties of niosome membrane induced by cholesterol: A promising approach for niosome bilayer intervention. RSC Adv. 7. 49463-49472.
17. Khoee, Sepideh & Yaghoobian, Morteza. (2017). Niosomes: a novel approach in modern drug delivery systems.
18. Gharbavi M, Amani J, Kheiri-Manjili H, Danafar H, Sharafi A. Niosome: A Promising Nanocarrier for Natural Drug Delivery through Blood-Brain Barrier. Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2018 Dec 11;2018:6847971.
19. Shreyas H M, Dr Eswar Gupta Maddi, Revolutionising Drug Delivery: The Potential of Niosomes in Modern Therapeutics, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2025, Vol 3, Issue 8, 3022-3031.
20. Thabet Y, Elsabahy M, Eissa NG. Methods for preparation of niosomes: A focus on thin-film hydration method. Methods. 2022 Mar;199:9-15.
21. Ge X, Wei M, He S, Yuan WE. Advances of Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles (Niosomes) and Their Application in Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics. 2019 Jan 29;11(2):55.
22. Ong SG, Chitneni M, Lee KS, Ming LC, Yuen KH. Evaluation of Extrusion Technique for Nanosizing Liposomes. Pharmaceutics. 2016 Dec 21;8(4):36.
23. Reddy, K & Stp, Vaishnavi & Poornima, M & Navaneetha, K & Venkateswara Reddy, Basu. (2014). Factors Affecting the Formation of Niosomes. 4. 2087-2091
24. Ritthe PV, Fugate A, Shafi S, Rudrurkar MN, Kazi AJ, Patil SR, Sante RU, Shaikh I, Unlocking the Potential of Niosomes: A Comprehensive Review, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development. 2024; 12(3):00-00
25. Kianinejad, Nazanin, Reza Razeghifard, Hossein H. Omidian, Yadollah Omidi, and Young M. Kwon. 2025. “Preparation and Characterisation of Niosomes for the Delivery of a Lipophilic Model Drug: Comparative Stability Study with Liposomes against Phospholipase-A2.” Journal of Liposome Research 35 (2): 105–16.
26. Kamboj S, Saini V, Bala S. Formulation and characterisation of drug-loaded nonionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) for oral bioavailability enhancement. ScientificWorldJournal. 2014 Feb 2;2014:959741.
27. Zaid Alkilani A, Abu-Zour H, Alshishani A, Abu-Huwaij R, Basheer HA, Abo-Zour H. Formulation and Evaluation of Niosomal Alendronate Sodium Encapsulated in Polymeric Microneedles: In Vitro Studies, Stability Study and Cytotoxicity Study. Nanomaterials. 2022; 12(20):3570.
28. Mashal M, Attia N, Grijalvo S, Eritja R, Puras G, Pedraz JL. Stability of polymeric cationic niosomes and their plasmid DNA-based complexes as gene delivery carriers. Drug Deliv. 2023 Dec;30(1):2219420
29. Zia K, Siddiqui T, Ali S, Farooq I, Zafar MS, Khurshid Z. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Medical and Dental Applications: A Comprehensive Review. Eur J Dent. 2019 Feb;13(1):124-128.
30. Kapil, Manas Jyoti, Dhiren Deka, Mangala Lahkar, Neelakshi Sharma, Dhrubajyoti Sarma, Pratap Kalita, and Satyendra Deka. 2021. “Formulation, Optimisation and Evaluation of Niosomes Containing Leaf Extract of Moringa Oleifera and Pharmacological Screening of the Extract Against Rheumatoid Arthritis”. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International 33 (42A):236-45.
31. Okore VC, Attama AA, Ofokansi KC, Esimone CO, Onuigbo EB. Formulation and evaluation of niosomes. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2011 May;73(3):323-8
32. Byard SJ, Jackson SL, Smail A, Bauer M, Apperley DC. Studies on the crystallinity of a pharmaceutical development drug substance. J Pharm Sci. 2005 Jun;94(6):1321-35.
33. Nguyen, Minh & Le, Nguyen Thien Han & Nguyen Tran Phuoc, Thuan & Le, Thi & Nguyen, Thi Yen Nhi & Nguyen, Kim & Pham, Thi & Le, Minh-Tri. (2024). Niosomes: recent advances and applications in targeted drug delivery. Science & Technology Development Journal. 10.32508
34. Rohan Kaswa, Rutuja Kadam, Aboli Kasar, Suyog Kamble, Sakshi Kashid, Manisha Khaire, Niosome: as a Novel Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery System, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2026, Vol 4, Issue 2, 1551-1566.
35. Verma AK, Bindal JC. A vital role of niosomes in controlled and Novel Drug delivery. IJNDD. 2011 Oct;3(56):238- 46.
36. Chilka AK, Naik VV. A Review of Niosomes as Novel Drug Delivery Systems. Scopus Indexed [Internet]. 2021 Dec. 1 [cited 2026 Jul. 6];14(6):5654-6.
37. AgSeleci, Didem, Seleci, Muharrem, Walter, Johanna gabriela, Stahl, Frank, Scheper, Thomas, Niosomes as Nanoparticular Drug Carriers: Fundamentals and Recent Applications, Journal of Nanomaterials, 2016, 7372306, 13 pages, 2016.
38. Bashkeran T, Kamaruddin AH, Ngo TX, Suda K, Umakoshi H, Watanabe N, Nadzir MM. Niosomes in cancer treatment: A focus on curcumin encapsulation. Heliyon. 2023 Jul 26;9(8):e18710.
39. Shatalebi MA, Mostafavi SA, Moghaddas A. Niosome as a drug carrier for topical delivery of N-acetyl glucosamine. Res Pharm Sci. 2010 Jul;5(2):107-17
40. Kumar Subramani P, P N R, Narayanasamy D. The Role of Pulmonary Drug Delivery in Modern Therapeutics: An Overview. Cureus. 2024 Sep 4;16(9):e68639
41. Mohd Abdul Muneim Farzaan, Sushmitha Bujji, Recent Progress in Niosomes for Enhanced Bioavailability and Site-Specific Drug Delivery, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2026, Vol 4, Issue 7, 1001-1015
42. Pandey R, Bhairam M, Shukla SS, Gidwani B. Colloidal and vesicular delivery system for herbal bioactive constituents. Daru. 2021 Dec;29(2):415-438
43. Witika BA, Bassey KE, Demana PH, Siwe-Noundou X, Poka MS. Current Advances in Specialised Niosomal Drug Delivery: Manufacture, Characterisation and Drug Delivery Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(17):9668.