Hemp Therapies Wiki / Liposomal Delivery Systems

What Is a Liposome

A liposome is a microscopic, spherical particle formed from one or more layers of phospholipid molecules enclosing a fluid-filled center. The word “liposome” combines the Greek roots “lipo” (fat) and “soma” (body), describing a fat-based sphere.

Structure

The outer wall of a liposome is built from amphipathic phospholipid molecules — each molecule has one water-attracting (hydrophilic) end and one water-repelling (hydrophobic) end. Because of this two-ended structure, phospholipid molecules placed in water spontaneously arrange themselves into closed spherical layers rather than remaining scattered in solution. A liposome can hold a water-soluble substance in its internal aqueous compartment and a fat-soluble substance within its lipid bilayer wall, in the same particle.

What Liposomal Delivery Means

Liposomal delivery refers to enclosing an active ingredient inside a liposome so it is carried through the digestive system or bloodstream inside a lipid shell rather than as a free-floating molecule. In formulation documentation, “encapsulated” or “entrapped” material refers to the portion of an active ingredient separated from the surrounding matrix by at least one lipid membrane, while “free” material refers to the portion located outside the liposome; the two figures together make up the total ingredient content. Particle size, size distribution, and lamellarity (bilayer count) are independent physical attributes of a given formulation and are not implied by the word “liposomal” alone.

Origin as a Research Tool

Liposomes were originally studied by researchers as laboratory models of biological cell membranes before later being adapted as delivery vehicles for drugs and nutrients. Liposomal products are now sold across the supplement and pharmaceutical industries in liquid, gel-packet, capsule, and powder-sachet formats.

Summary

A liposome is a self-assembling, spherical, lipid-membrane particle capable of carrying both water-soluble and fat-soluble compounds within one structure — a property that underlies its use as a delivery format for supplements and pharmaceuticals alike.