Cerasome Versus Liposome: A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Analysis Following Intravenous Administration into Rats

 Cerasomes, due to their external siloxane network, demonstrate markedly higher physicochemical stability and, therefore, easier handling and storage than liposomes.

 The main objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics (PK) of cerasome and liposome following intravenous administration. The PK of PEGylated and non-PEGylated cerasomes was also compared to see whether the presence of a hydrophilic siloxane network on the surface of cerasomes can play the role of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in increasing the blood circulation of these vesicles.

 Silver sulfide (Ag2S) quantum dots (Qds)-loaded PEGylated and non-PEGylated cerasomes and PEGylated liposomes were fabricated and thoroughly characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro stability. For pharmacokinetic evaluation, the free Qds and the selected formulations were intravenously injected into rats, and blood samples were collected for up to 72 hours. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by the non-compartmental method.

 Both cerasomal and liposomal carriers significantly improved the PK of Qds. For example, the elimination half-life (t1/2) and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to time infinity (AUC0-∞) for the free Qds were 4.39 h and 8.01 µg/mL*h and for cerasomal and liposomal formulations were 28.82 versus 26.95 h and 73.25 versus 62.02 µg/mL*h, respectively. However, compared to each other, the plasma concentration-time profiles of PEGylated cerasomes and liposomes displayed similar patterns, and the statistical comparison of their pharmacokinetic parameters did not show any significant difference between the two types of carriers. For PEGylated cerasomes, t1/2 and AUC0-∞ values were respectively 1.6 and 3.3 times greater than the classic cerasome, indicating that despite the presence of a hydrophilic siloxane network, the incorporation of PEG is necessary to reduce the clearance of cerasomes.

 The comparable PK of PEGylated cerasomes and liposomes, along with the higher physicochemical stability of cerasomes, can be considered an important advantage for the clinical application of cerasomes. Additionally, the easy surface functionalizing ability of cerasomes confers a dual advantage over liposomes. The study findings also showed that the presence of a hydrophilic siloxane network on the surface of cerasomes alone is not enough to make them circulate long.