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LIPOSOMES AND ADVANCED VESICULAR SYSTEMS FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY: OVERCOMING THE SKIN BARRIER

CEMRE IREM AYGULER *, BASAK ACUNER

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Transdermal drug delivery offers a non-invasive alternative to conventional routes of administration; however, its widespread application is limited by the stratum corneum's highly effective barrier function. Recently, liposomes and advanced vesicular systems have emerged as promising carriers to enhance drug permeation across the skin. This review critically evaluates liposomal systems and next-generation vesicular carriers, including niosomes, transfersomes, and ethosomes, with a particular focus on their roles in transdermal drug delivery. The structure, classification, advantages, and limitations of liposomes are discussed alongside approaches to formulation and characterization. The enhanced performance of deformable, ethanol-containing vesicular systems is evaluated relative to conventional liposomes. Overall, liposomal and advanced vesicular systems demonstrate significant potential in improving transdermal drug delivery; however, further studies focusing on long-term safety and scalable manufacturing are necessary for their successful clinical application.