Innovations in Breaking Barriers: Liposomes as Near-Perfect Drug Carriers in Ischemic Stroke Therapy

Qiankun Zhang,* Songze Huang,* Xiaowen Liu, Wei Wang, Zhihan Zhu, Lukui Chen Department of Neurosurgery, Southern Medical University Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lukui Chen, Department of Neurosurgery, Southern Medical University Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Email neuro_clk@hotmail.comAbstract: Liposomes, noted for their tunable particle size, surface customization, and varied drug delivery capacities, are increasingly acknowledged in therapeutic applications. These vesicles exhibit surface flexibility, enabling the incorporation of targeting moieties or peptides to achieve specific targeting and avoid lysosomal entrapment. Internally, their adaptable architecture permits the inclusion of a broad spectrum of drugs, contingent on their solubility characteristics. This study thoroughly reviews liposome fabrication, surface modifications, and drug release mechanisms post-systemic administration, with a particular emphasis on drugs crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to address lesions. Additionally, the review delves into recent developments in the use of liposomes in ischemic stroke models, offering a comparative evaluation with other nanocarriers like exosomes and nano-micelles, thereby facilitating their clinical advancement. Keywords: liposome, BBB, ischemic stroke, drug carrier, liposome-based engineering