Fabrication of Non-phospholipid Liposomal Nanocarrier for Sustained-Release of the Fungicide Cymoxanil

Liposome nanocarriers can be used to solve problems of pesticide instability, rapid degradation and a short period of efficacy. Cymoxanil with antifungal activity requires an ideal drug loading system due to its degradation issues. In this paper, cholesterol and stearylamine were used to prepare non-phospholipid liposomes (sterosomes) as a pesticide nanocarrier, and were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer, size distribution, and ζ-potential. The results showed sterosomes were successfully loaded with cymoxanil. The loading efficiency and the drug-to-lipid ratio were 92.6% and 0.0761, respectively. Prolonged drug release was obtained for 3 days, improving the short duration of the drug itself. The addition of cymoxanil-loaded sterosomes in culture medium effectively inhibited the growth of yeast cells, which serve as model fungal targets. Sterosomes as nanocarriers significantly improved the stability and efficacy of cymoxanil, thus introducing practical and economically desirable strategies for the preparation of novel pesticide formulations.

Unprecedented Formation of Sterically Stabilized Phospholipid Liposomes of Cuboidal Morphology

Sterically stabilized phospholipid liposomes of unprecedented cuboid morphology are formed upon introduction in the bilayer membrane of original polymers, based on polyglycidol bearing a lipid-mimetic residue. Strong hydrogen bonding in...

Amphiphilic Ionic Liquid Induced Fusion of Phospholipid Liposomes

Membrane fusion is a key biological phenomenon with potential applications in biotechnology. In this work, we provide biophysical and structural evidence that liposomes composed of POPC/POPG phospholipids undergo fusion in the presence of ionic liquids containing 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium cations. The fusion phenomenon is confirmed using dynamic light scattering based size measurements, and Fluorescence based dye leakage and lipid mixing assays. ¹H-¹H NOESY measurements using solid-state NMR spectroscopy were performed to obtain insights into fusion mechanism. It is found that ionic liquid induced splaying of phospholipid chains is crucial for overcoming the hydration barrier between the merging bilayers. Also, transiently lived fusion-holes are formed at the initial stages of bilayer mixing resulting in a leaky fusion phenomenon. <br><br>Although considered as “green” alternatives to conventional solvents, ionic liquids can exhibit cytotoxicity by altering the structural integrity of cellular membrane. Our study provides mechanistic details of the evolution of phospholipid membrane structure resulting in membrane fusion when subjected to increasing ionic liquid concentrations. We believe that findings of this study will further our understanding of ionic liquids induced cytotoxicity and non-protein assisted membrane fusion. <br><br>

Amphiphilic Ionic Liquid Induced Fusion of Phospholipid Liposomes

Membrane fusion is a key biological phenomenon with potential applications in biotechnology. In this work, we provide biophysical and structural evidence that liposomes composed of POPC/POPG phospholipids undergo fusion in the presence of ionic liquids containing 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium cations. The fusion phenomenon is confirmed using dynamic light scattering based size measurements, and Fluorescence based dye leakage and lipid mixing assays. ¹H-¹H NOESY measurements using solid-state NMR spectroscopy were performed to obtain insights into fusion mechanism. It is found that ionic liquid induced splaying of phospholipid chains is crucial for overcoming the hydration barrier between the merging bilayers. Also, transiently lived fusion-holes are formed at the initial stages of bilayer mixing resulting in a leaky fusion phenomenon. <br><br>Although considered as “green” alternatives to conventional solvents, ionic liquids can exhibit cytotoxicity by altering the structural integrity of cellular membrane. Our study provides mechanistic details of the evolution of phospholipid membrane structure resulting in membrane fusion when subjected to increasing ionic liquid concentrations. We believe that findings of this study will further our understanding of ionic liquids induced cytotoxicity and non-protein assisted membrane fusion. <br><br>