Dual role of hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) in thermosensitive liposomes: active ingredient and mediator of drug release.

Lysolipid-based thermosensitive liposomes have been successfully introduced as efficient drug delivery system with fast drug release upon heat treatment. Hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC) is structurally related to 1-palmitoyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (P-lyso-PC) but chemically and metabolically more stable, thereby offering strong antineoplastic, antiprotozoal and antifungal activity. We investigated the properties of HePC in low temperature sensitive (LTSL) and high temperature sensitive liposomes (HTSL) based on 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglyceroglycerol (DPPGOG).

In vitro stability and content release properties of phosphatidylglyceroglycerol containing thermosensitive liposomes.

Recently, we reported that 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglyceroglycerol (DPPGOG) prolongs the circulation time of thermosensitive liposomes (TSL). Since the only TSL formulation in clinical trials applies DSPE-PEG2000 and lysophosphatidylcholine (P-lyso-PC), the objective of this study was to compare the influence of these lipids with DPPGOG on in vitro stability and heat-induced drug release properties of TSL. The content release rate was significantly increased by incorporating DPPGOG or P-lyso-PC in TSL formulations.

Novel temperature-sensitive liposomes with prolonged circulation time.

Hyperthermia increases the efficiency of various chemotherapeutic drugs and is administered as an adjunct to chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer patients. The temperature-dependent effect can be strongly increased by the use of temperature-sensitive liposomes in combination with regional hyperthermia, which specifically releases the entrapped drug in the heated tumor tissue. The novel lipid 1.