Advanced Niosomal Drug Delivery Systems for Colon and Colorectal Cancer: From Passive Encapsulation to Active Targeting

Colon and colorectal cancers represent major oncological challenges worldwide, largely due to systemic chemotherapy toxicities, inadequate tumor specificity, low therapeutic payload stability, and chemoresistance. Niosomes, self-assembled non-ionic surfactant vesicles stabilized by cholesterol, have emerged as highly flexible nanocarriers capable of entrapping both hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactive agents. This review synthesizes empirical evidence from sixteen contemporary studies of niosomal formulations developed for colon and colorectal cancer models. We critically evaluate formulation compositions, preparation techniques including thin film hydration and ethanol injection, physicochemical attributes, and comparative therapeutic outcomes. The analysis contrasts passive encapsulation platforms, including steric stabilization via polyethylene glycol or TPGS, with active targeting paradigms incorporating folate ligands, magnetic guidance, and chitosan-glutamate polymer coatings. Dual loading regimens and drug repurposing modalities targeting pivotal molecular pathways such as Bax, Bcl-۲, p۵۳, caspases, cyclin D۱, and HIF-۱α are scrutinized. Current translational bottlenecks, focusing on the scarcity of robust in vivo pharmacokinetics and stability profiles, are systematically outlined alongside future clinical development trajectories.

کلیدواژه ها:

niosomes ، non-ionic surfactants ، colorectal cancer ، colon carcinoma ، active targeting ، passive encapsulation ، combination therapy