title: Liposomal antibiotics for the treatment of infectious diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liposomal delivery systems have been utilized in developing effective therapeutics against cancer and targeting microorganisms in and out of host cells and within biofilm community. The most attractive feature of liposome-based drugs are enhancing therapeutic index of the new or existing drugs while minimizing their adverse effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  This communication provides an overview on several aspects of liposomal antibiotics including the most widely used preparation techniques for encapsulating different agents and the most important characteristic parameters applied for examining shape, size and stability of the spherical vesicles. In addition, the routes of administration, liposome-cell interactions and host parameters affecting the biodistribution of liposomes are highlighted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liposomes are safe and suitable for delivery of variety of molecules and drugs in biomedical research and medicine. They are known to improve the therapeutic index of encapsulated agents and reduce drug toxicity. Recent studies on liposomal formulation of chemotherapeutic and bioactive agents and their targeted delivery show liposomal antibiotics potential in the treatment of microbial infections.
authors.affiliation: Laurentian University, The Novel Drug & Vaccine Delivery Systems Facility, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6 , Canada +1 705 675 1151 ext. 2190 ; +1 705675 4844 ; aomri@laurentian.ca.
authors.forename: Moayad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alhariri
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azghani
authors.forename: Abdelwahab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Omri
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008081:Liposomes