title: Manufacture of liposomes by isopropanol injection: characterization of the method.
abstract: Unilamellar liposomes are conventionally prepared by rapid injection of an ethanolic solution of lipids into an aqueous medium. The aim of the present study was to control, more efficiently, vesicle diameter by using an alternative solvent. The results show that isopropanol injection is a good alternative to ethanol injection for the manufacture of liposomes. Particle size can be controlled by the variation of process parameters, such as stirring speed of the aqueous phase and injection flow rate of lipid-isopropanol solution. Diameter of vesicles obtained by this method is less affected by the nature of phospholipid, as well as lipid concentration, than in the ethanol-injection process. In addition, the vesicles are generally smaller (approximately 40-210 nm). Accurate characterization of the particles, by fluorescence, (31)P-NMR, and cryo-transmission electron microscopy, showed that particles are formed of a single lipid bilayer around an aqueous cavity. We thus provide the scientific community with a fully characterized alternative method to produce unilamellar vesicles.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Equipe de BioVectorologie, Université de Strasbourg , CNRS/UdS-UMR 7199, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch , France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gentine
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bubel
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crucifix
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bourel-Bonnet
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frisch
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005374:Filtration; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis; D008081:Liposomes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D019840:2-Propanol