Phospholipids at the Interface: Current Trends and Challenges

Abstract

Phospholipids are one of the major structural elements of biological membranes. Due to their amphiphilic character, they can adopt various molecular assemblies when dispersed in water, such as bilayer vesicles or micelles, which give them unique interfacial properties and render them very attractive in terms of foam or emulsion stabilization. This article aims at reviewing the properties of phospholipids at the air/water and oil/water interfaces, as well as the recent advances in using these natural components as stabilizers, alone or in combination with other compounds such as proteins. A discussion regarding the challenges and opportunities offered by phospholipids-stabilized structure concludes the review.

Enhancing biopharmaceutical attributes of phospholipid complex-loaded nanostructured lipidic carriers of mangiferin: Systematic development, characterization and evaluation

“…As phospholipids constitute a major part of the bio-membrane, these hold good biocompatibility and act as a carrier for delivering drugs across the biological barriers (Renukuntla et al, 2013). The amphiphilic nature of phospholipids tends to provide enhanced solubility and permeability of the drugs, thus improving their oral biopharmaceutical performance (Pichot et al, 2013). Other stellar merits of phospholipidic formulations include ease of preparation, along with high drug loading capacity and long-term stability.…”

Enteral Formula Containing Egg Yolk Lecithin Improves Diarrhea

“…Egg yolk lecithin has a high phosphatidylcholine content about 66 -76 compared with soybean lecithin about 33 37 . Because phosphatidylcholine is less affected by pH, salt concentration, or the presence of metal ions, a more stable oil-in-water emulsion is obtained 38 . We believe that this resulted in the high stability of the emulsion in acidic gastric juices.…”

Surface properties and exponential stress relaxations of mammalian meibum films

“…This oily fluid consists of non-polar lipids, which at 35 °C are primarily in melted state but some crystallites dispersed within (Rosenfeld et al 2013) might be also present. In such systems, the oily stratum can act as a solvent, as a reservoir, for the polar lipids (Pichot et al 2013;Shchipunov and Kolpakov 1991) [that might form inverted micelles in it (Wizert et al 2014)], which must adsorb from its vicinity to the aqueous interface and also can distribute between the interface and the oily cap in the course of film area changes.…”