A review on phospholipids and their main applications in drug delivery systems

Abstract Phospholipids have the characteristics of excellent biocompatibility and a especial amphiphilicity. These unique properties make phospholipids most appropriate to be employed as important pharmaceutical excipients and they have a very wide range of applications in drug delivery systems. The aim of this review is to summarize phospholipids and some of their related applications in drug delivery systems, and highlight the relationship between the properties and applications, and the effect of the species of phospholipids on the efficiency of drug delivery. We refer to some relevant literatures, starting from the structures, main sources and properties of phospholipids to introduce their applications in drug delivery systems. The present article focuses on introducing five types of carriers based on phospholipids, including liposomes, intravenous lipid emulsions, micelles, drug-phospholipids complexes and cochleates.