Cubosomes as versatile lipid nanocarriers for neurological disorder therapeutics: a comprehensive review

• Published in: Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology Vol. 397; no. 6; pp. 3729 - 3746
• Main Authors: A Vahab, Safa, Nair, Ayushi, Raj, Devika, G P, Akhil, P P, Sreelakshmi, S Kumar, Vrinda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biodegradability; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Controlled release; Drug Carriers; Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems; Environmental stress; Humans; Hydrophobicity; Lipids; Lipids - administration & dosage; Lipids - chemistry; Liquid Crystals - chemistry; Nanoparticles; Nervous System Diseases - drug therapy; Neurological diseases; Neurosciences; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Review; Lipid nanocarrier; Neurological disorders; Cubosomes; Liquid crystalline phases
• ISSN: 0028-1298; 1432-1912; 1432-1912
• DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02879-7

Cubosomes are novel vesicular drug delivery systems with lipidic liquid crystal nanoparticles formed of predetermined proportions of amphiphilic lipids. They have a honeycomb-like structure and are thermodynamically stable. These bicontinuous lipid layers are separated into two water-based channels internally that can be used by various bioactive substances, including drugs, proteins, and peptides. This complex structure is responsible for its high drug-loading capacity. Cubosomes are thought to be promising vehicles for various routes of administration because of their extraordinary characteristics, including bioadhesion, the capacity to encapsulate hydrophilic, and hydrophobic, as well as amphiphilic substances, high resistance to environmental stress, and their ability to achieve controlled release through modification. One of the essential elements for improving patient compliance is the ability of these well-defined nano-drug delivery systems to boost the effectiveness of targeting while lowering the side effects/toxicities of payloads. The large internal surface area, a sufficiently uncomplicated fabrication procedure, and biodegradability make it an attractive nano lipid carrier for drug delivery. This review outlines the recent advancement of cubosomes for managing various neurological disorders, highlighting their potential in this field.