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Liposomes were first discovered in 1961 by British hematologist Alec Douglas Bangham. Since their discovery, liposomes have been subject of extensive research, and liposomal technology has continued to evolve. Researchers have been fascinated by liposomes and their potential ever since their discovery. Liposomes have long been used as pharmaceutical delivery systems, but today they are also used to deliver nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
The word liposome comes from two Greek words: lipos means fat, and soma means body.
Liposomes have a structure similar to the body’s own cell membranes, which is one of the reasons they are used as a delivery form in dietary supplements.
The unique feature of the liposomal encapsulation process is that it traps the active nutrient inside microscopic phospholipid molecules. Phospholipids are building blocks and natural fats that make up cell membranes in living organisms. They help cells funcion optimally by strengthening them and giving them flexibility. Every cell in the body has a protective membrane made of phospholipids. Lecithin is one of the most important types of phospholipids. Lecithin, also called phosphocholine, is a specific form of phospholipid consisting of fatty acids, glycerol, phosphate and choline.
Liposomes can act as a physical barrier that techniclaly protects the encapsulated substance in the formulation. Liposomes are used because they can help stabilize nutrients in the formulation.
When phospholipids are placed in an aqueous environment, they naturally and spontaneously form these liposomal spheres, similar to when oil is added to water. This occurs because a phospholipid is a long molecule with a water-soluble (hydrophilic) end and a fat-soluble (hydrophobic) end.
The hydrophobic ends avoid water and clump together, resulting in the natural formation of a membrane consisting of fat-seeking ends of phospholipid molecules on the inside and water-seeking hydrophilic tails of molecules facing the outside.
A wide range of substances can be encapsulated in liposomes using the technology. It could be said that liposomal technology mimics nature’s method of creating membranes.
A phospholipid molecule is composed of three parts; one head and two tails. The head is made of three molecular components; choline, phosphate and glycerol. The head is hydrophilic, which means that it is attracted to water. The tails are made of fatty acids and they are hydrophobic, meaning they are repelled by water. When phospholipids are added to a water-based solution, the hydrophilic heads of the phospholipids will form a line side by side. Because the tails are hydrophobic, another layer of phospholipids will stack tail to tail in response to the aqueous environment they are added to. This results in a bilayer of phospholipids. It is similar to the structure that makes up a human cell membrane.
Phospholipids are natural components of cell membranes and are found in all cells of the body. In fact, every cell in the body has a protective membrane made of phospholipids. The phospholipids form a barrier around their contents that is resistant to digestive juices and enzymes.
Phospholipids are used in liposomes for their ability to form a structure that can stabilize the contents of the formulation.
Lecithin is a natural fat and contains phospholipids. Lecithin is present in many foods, including soy, eggs and sunflower seeds, and they are considered safe to consume. Our lecithin is extracted from sunflower oil.
