INTRODUCTION:

Many active constituents from nature are polar and have issues related to bioavailability. This problem can be rectified by many approaches, among them phytosomes (Phyto-Phospholipid complexes), which are gaining the attraction of many industrial formulators in elevating reachability to the bloodstream. Phytosomes mean plant cells like consistency^1-3. It is a new patented tactic in which standardized phytoconstituents are complexed with PLs to produce lipid-compatible molecular complexes, resulting in an elevation in absorption and bioavailability⁴. PTC-containing phytosomes easily traverse the biological layers⁵.

Phytosomes are made by complex medicaments with PLs that help them pass through the exterior layer of the gut and uniformly reach the blood⁶. After making PL complexes, membrane permeability is appreciably improved. Thus, phytosomes are freely absorbed and produce greater bioavailability than free drugs⁷.

STRUCTURE OF PHYTOSOMES:

Phytosomes are formed when medicament interacts with the polar heads of PLs to form a complex. In this structure, two long fatty acid chains do not participate in complex formation, and these condense the polar parts of complexes to form a lipophilic surface. Phytosomes form agglomerates when thinned in water, which looks like liposomes. The difference between phytosomes and liposomes is that they form an essential part of the membrane, the molecules of which overturn through hydrogen bonds to the polar head of the PLs^{8, 9}.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIPOSOMES AND PHYTOSOMES:

Phytosomes are distinguished from liposomes, which is illustrated¹⁰ in table 1.

Table 1: Differentiation between phytosomes and liposomes

Phytosomes	Liposomes
The fixings are broken down in the center segment of the cavity, with a fragmented chance of atomic contact between the encompassing lipid and a hydrophilic substance.	A liposome is a strong spread of concentrate in a dietary PL network. The fixing can in some way or other contrast with a basic piece of the lipid layer.
PL ratio 1:1 or 2:1 is preferred for the making of phytosomes.	Improved the ratio up to 10 times more than the active constituents.
Good bioavailability.	Poor availability.
It involves chemical bonds.	No chemical bonds are involved.

Figure 1: Difference between phytosome and liposome

PREPARATION OF PHYTOSOMES:

The design of phytosomes ¹¹ is exemplified in figure 2.

Figure 2. Phytosomes preparation schematic diagram

PROPERTIES OF PHYTOSOMES:

The phytosomes have the following constraints ¹².

Physiochemical properties:

· Organized with uniform plant substrate by the stoichiometric quantity of PL.

· The size ranged from 50 to 100 µm.

· Freely soluble in aprotic solvents, quite soluble in fats, and insoluble in water.

Biological properties:

· Increased oral absorption and bioavailability

· Better pharmacokinetic than herbal drugs.

Assets with Phytosomes:

The phytosomes have the following advantages ¹³.

· Appreciable drug entrapment efficiency

· Good gastric absorption

· Enhanced bioavailability

· No adverse effect on the liver as they are absorbed better in the small intestine.

· They are accepted for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use

· It suits even transdermal drug delivery

· Great stability

· Low-risk profile

· Ease of fabrication

· Ease of making.

Difficulties with phytosomes:

The phytosomes have the following advantages¹⁴.

· Phyto-constituents are rapidly eliminated from the dosage forms.

· The duration of action is short.

Classification of vesicles for novel drug delivery

The novel vesicles are classified¹⁵ as shown in table 2.

Table 2: Various types of vesicles as drug delivery systems based on size and composition

Name of the vesicles	Particle size (nm)	Shape	Composition
Phytosomes	10–100	Spherical	PL and herbal extract
Niosomes	100–140	Spherical	Non–ionic surfactant and cholesterol
Transferosomes	170–230	Oval	Soya phosphatidylcholine surfactant and drug/antigen
Discomes	16-20	Disc-shaped	Cholesterol and Niosomes
Aquasomes	60-300	Circular	Ceramics and carbon
Resealed erythrocytes	6000-9000	Oval	Plasma and protein plates
Ethosomes	50–100	Spherical	PL and ethanol
Liposomes	100–1000	Spherical	PLs and cholesterol

THE PAST DECADE OF WORK ON PHYTOSOMES:

Recent work done on phytosomes is illustrated in table 3.

Table 3: Past work is done on phytosomes

Phytosome complexes	Techniques employed	Solvents use	Author and time of publication
Catechin PL complex	SD	Anhydrous ethanol	Athmouni et al., 2020¹⁶
Raloxifene PL complex	Solvent desertion method (SDM)	Methanol, THF, anhydrous ethanol	Li et al., 2020¹⁷
Ursolic acid PL complex	Solvent assisted – grinding method	Methanol	Wang et al., 2019¹⁸
Dihydro myricetin - Hydrogenated soy PTC complexes	Optimal preparation method	Methanol and Chloroform	Zhao et al., 2019¹⁹
ATC PL complex	Spray drying (SD)	Anhydrous ethanol	Qin et al., 2018²⁰
Insulin PL complex DNV method	Thin-film hydration method SDM	Methanol Trifluoroacetic acid Dichloro methane	Xu et al., 2018²¹
Phytosome complex of methanol extract of Terminalia Arjuna	Salting out	Methanol (6:1), n-hexane and methylene chloride	Gnananath et al., 2017²²
BaPC – MD	Discontinuous SDM	Tetrahydrofuran	Zhou et al., 2017 ²³
Polydatin PL complex (PPC)	SDM	Tetrahydrofuran	Cheng et al., 2017²⁴
PL-based composite of standardized Centella extract	Salting out	Ethanol, N-Hexane	Saoji et al., 2016²⁵
Quercetin PTC complex	SD	Anhydrous ethanol	Zhang et al., 2016²⁶
Oleanolic acid PL compound	SDM 1:1 molar ratio	Anhydrous ethanol	Jiang et al., 2016²⁷
Epigallocatechin gallate PL compound	SDM	Ethanol	Yang et al., 2016²⁸
Pomegranate extract PL	SD	An equal volume of methanol and dioxane	Vora et al., 2015²⁹
Rutin loaded nano Phyto some	SDM Thin layer hydration method	A combination of methanol and chloroform (1:4)	Hooresfand et al., 2015³⁰
Rosmarinic acid – PL compound	SDM	Anhydrous ethanol	Yang et al., 2015³¹
Phyllanthus emblica extract PL compound	SDM	Dichloromethane or methanol as solvent	Pereira et al., 2015³²
Echinoside PL compound	SDM 1:3 molar ratio	THF	Li et al., 2015 ³³
Silymarin phospholipid compound	SDM (1:5)	Ethanol	Maryana et al., 2015³⁴
Leutolin phospholipid compound	SDM by QbD employed	Ethanol	Khan et al., 2014 ³⁵
Plain liposomes and Phyto – liposomes	Reversed-phase evaporation method	Di ethyl ether	Angelico et al., 2014³⁶
Soy -lecithin complex	SDM	N – Octanol or water	Yu et al., 2014³⁷
Mangiferin PL complexation	SD	Ethanol	Ma et al., 2014³⁸
Mitomycin C	SDM	Tetra hydro furan	Hou et al., 2013³⁹

CONCLUSION:

This assessment is a push to introduce an outlining profile according to Phytosome's advantage, concoction properties, physical attributes, strategy for planning, and applications. The poor bioavailability and ingestion of water-dissolvable phytoconstituent could be overwhelmed by the phytosomes approach, as it gives an ideal conveyance of dynamic phytoconstituents. Phytosomes are progressed to liposomes because of their steadiness profile. Phytosomes innovation has a gigantic methodology for use in definition innovation and capacity of hydrophilic plant separate. It is an incredible methodology and inventive detailing for homegrown concentrate which shows better absorption than ordinary natural concentrate.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

None.

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Received on 05.04.2021 Modified on 10.03.2022

Res. J. Pharma. Dosage Forms and Tech.2023; 15(1):51-54.

DOI: 10.52711/0975-4377.2023.00009