Table 2
Benefits of drug load in liposomes
Benefits of drug load in liposome	Examples
1. Improved solubility of lipophilic and amphiphilic drugs	Amphotericin B, porphyrins, minoxidil, some peptides, and anthracyclines, respectively; hydrophilic drugs, such as anticancer agent doxorubicin or acyclovir
2. Passive targeting to the cells of the immune system, especially cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system	Antimonials, amphotericin B, porphyrins, vaccines, immunomodulators
3. Sustained release system of systemically or locally administered liposomes	Doxorubicin, cytosine arabinoside, cortisones, biological proteins or peptides such as vasopressin
4. Site-avoidance mechanism	Doxorubicin andamphotericin B
5. Site-specific targeting	Anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-cancer, anti-infection
6. Improved transfer of hydrophilic, charged molecules	Antibiotics, chelators, plasmids, and genes
7. Improved penetration into tissues	Corticosteroids, anesthetics, and insulin

Akbarzadeh et al. Nanoscale Research Letters 2013 8:102   doi:10.1186/1556-276X-8-102