Niosomes: recent advances and applications in targeted drug delivery

In drug delivery, niosomes, novel potential biomaterials, were inspired by vesicular surfactant systems. The niosome particles form a bilayered structure containing nonionic surfactants and an aqueous region, allowing them to carry drug molecules with a wide solubility spectrum. Additionally, niosomes provide a cost-effective, biocompatible alternative, ensuring long-term, focused medication and targeted drug delivery. The advantages of niosomes over other drug carrier systems have attracted increasing attention from researchers, who recently published numerous studies on this material as a targeted drug delivery system. Niosomal drugs with high bioavailability can be delivered via various routes of administration, such as oral, dermal, ocular, and respiratory routes. This review presents the fundamentals of the characterization and preparation methods of niosomes. We also highlight recent advancements in the field of targeted drug delivery of niosomes and their applications for routes of administration, highlighting future research trends in niosomes.