Liposomal Products

In this day and age of diseases with an unknown origin to "Super-bugs" that seem to be resistant to everything that modern medicine has to throw at them, it is imperative to look outside the western medicine box for answers. There are a vast array of alternative therapies that are truly impacting disease processes where they start, the cellular level. Given the fact that the human body is a collection of systems that work together with the one common thread being that of the basic cellular structure, the ability of the cell to get the necessary energy and nutrients is essential to proper human functioning. This is where the Liposomal Delivery System comes into play.

Liposomes Defined...

"The name liposome," according to Wikipedia, "is derived from two Greek words: 'Lipos' meaning fat and 'Soma' meaning body (1)." Duke University scientists state that, "Liposomes are capsule-shaped membranes about one-hundredth the size of a red blood cell. They are composed of lipids, fatty substances that provide the structural component of cell membranes...(2)"

According to Robert D. Milne, MD, author of PC Liposomal Encapsulation Technology, in a post publication letter for readers of the previously mentioned book, it states that "the liposomes used in the best encapsulated supplements are made from phosphatidylcholine or "essential" phospholipids. These substances-usually extracted from soy lecithin-are necessary for life...(3)." Given the concept that liposomes are comprised of phospholipids, the same ingredient as all cell membranes in the body, " every one of the trillions of cells [in the human body] ...would instantly disintegrate if it were not for phospholipids (4)." It is written that "for nearly forty years, researchers have studied and reported the vast health and life benefits of 'essential' phospholipids or polyunsaturated phosphatidyitcholine (PC)."

According to Milne, there are thousands of published studies which could possibly demonstrate that some benefits of essential phospholipid liposomes might include: (From Robert D. Milne's "A Post Publication Letter for Readers of Dr. Robert Milne's Book PC Liposomal Encapsulation Technology.")

"To deliver the molecules to the site of action, the lipid bi-layer can fuse with other bi-layers such as cell membranes, thus delivering the liposomal contents (4)." Research shows that these items delivered by this liposomal method might include nutritional supplements, medications, DNA, nucleotides, etc. "In addition to gene and drug delivery applications, liposomes can be used as carriers for the delivery of dyes to textiles, pesticides to plants, enzymes to nutritional supplements to foods, and cosmetics to the skin (5)."

The Liposomal method of delivery becomes increasingly important in substances that are unstable when moving through the digestive tract or are poorly absorbed by the body. According to the Journal of Drug Targeting, "'...antioxidants, which are found in many phytochemicals,...are biologically unstable, poorly soluble in water, and poorly distributed to target sites...we strongly advocate serious consideration of the bioavailability of dietary supplements...to improve their bioavailability using delivery systems such as liposomal formulations (6).'"

Another monumental concept, "...in the use of liposomes [is] to protect delicate enzymes or peptides like glutathione, a tripeptide, or very small peptide chains such as proline rich peptides (PRP) from colostrums, from being destroyed by the acids and enzymes in the digestive process (7)."

History of the Liposomal Delivery Method

The history and technology behind the Liposomal delivery system dates back to the mid 1800's...therefore, this is not another "new" concept but a solid delivery system with countless studies and testimonials supporting it. There are a vast array of studies that were undertaken studying the "behavior and characteristics of lipids" during the first half of the twentieth century. But, it was not until 1961 that a renowned chemist and Fellow of the Royal Society (in chemistry), Alec D. Bangham, MD, a British haematologist, discovered what we know as liposomes today.

This discovery was made while Bangham was "...studying phospholipids and blood clotting. It was found that phospholipids combined with water immediately formed a sphere because one end of each molecule is water soluble, while the opposite end is water insoluble (8)." One might also describe this phenomenon that "...in the presence of water, the head is attracted to the water, and the tail, which is made of a long hydrocarbon chain, is repelled by water (9)." Bangham's research was conducted at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge, [England] (10)."



In 1964, Bangham published The Liposomal Letters which opened the door to a vast array of information regarding this topic. After the publication of these letters, "liposomes have been widely investigated ... for improving the delivery of therapeutic agents to specific sites in the body. As a result, numerous improvements have been made, thus making this technology potentially useful for the treatment of certain diseases...(11)." Since their discovery, liposomes have became "...very versatile tools in biology, biochemistry and medicine...[and] can be used for a large number of applications (12)."

Works Cited:
  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liposomes
  2. Retrieved from http://encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-43189561
  3. Milne, Robert D. "A Post Publication Letter for Readers of Dr. Robert Milne's Book PC Lipoaomal Encapsulation Technology." No Date.
  4. Retrieved from http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liposomes
  5. Ibid.
  6. Retrieved from http://www.biopharmasci.com/downloads/nanosorb_mothernature.pdf
  7. Ibid.
  8. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0829925.html.
  9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liposomes.
  10. Ibid.
  11. Parveen, Goyle, et. Al."Liposomal drug delivery systems – Clinical Applications," Acta Pharm. 55(2005)p. 1.
  12. Retrieved from http://uzh.ch/onkwww/lipos.htm