Aquasomes are three-layered self-assembled nanostructures, typically 60-300 nm in diameter, used for drug and antigen delivery, offering stability and protection to bio-active molecules. Their preparation involves forming a ceramic core, coating it with polyhydroxyl oligomers, and loading the desired drug, making them suitable for various applications including gene therapy, vaccine delivery, and as red blood cell substitutes. Characterization of aquasomes is conducted through methods like electron microscopy and x-ray powder diffractometry.

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Aquasomes
Mr. Sagar Kishor Savale
[Department of Pharmaceutics]
avengersagar16@gmail.com
2015-2016
Department of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutics) | Sagar Savale

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CONTENT
 Introduction
 Preparation
 Properties
 Characterization
 Application

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AQUASOME
 Three layered self assembled structures, containing the particle core composed of nanocrystalline calcium
phosphate or ceramic diamond, and is covered by a polyhydroxyl oligomeric film to which biochemically
active molecules are adsorbed .
 Aquasomes are spherical 60-300nm particles used for drug and antigen delivery.
 It was first developed by NIR KOSSOVSKY.

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Aquasomes are called as “ bodies of water ’’
1] Their water like properties.
2] Protect and preserve fragile biological molecules.
3] This property of maintaining conformational integrity as well as high degree of surface exposure
and in targeting of bio-active molecules like peptide and protein hormones, antigens and genes to
specific sites.
 The carbohydrate stabilize nanoparticle of ceramic are known as “Aquasomes “

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MECHANISM
1] Aquasomes protect bio-actives.
 Carbohydrate coating prevents destructive denaturing interaction between drug and solid
carriers.
2] Aquasomes maintains molecular conformation and thus shows optimum pharmacological activity.

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PREPARATION OF AQUASOME
 PREPARATION OF THE CORE
 Fabrication of the ceramic core by colloidal precipitation and sonication.
 CARBOHYDRATE COATING
 Coating by carbohydrate on the surface of ceramic cores.
 Addition of polyhydroxyl oligomer , sonication and then lyophilization.
 Coating material used are cellobiose, citrate, sucrose and trehalose.

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It involves 3 steps
 Step I - Formation of an inorganic core.
 Step II - Coating of the core with polyhydroxyl oligomer.
 Step III - Loading of the drug of choice to this assembly.

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IMMOBILIZATION OF DRUG
 The surface modified nano-crystalline cores provide the solid phase for the
subsequent non-denaturing self- assembly biochemically active molecules.

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PROPERTIES
 Aquasomes due to their size and structure stability, avoid clearance by reticuloendothelial system or by other
environmental challenges.
 Biodegradation of ceramic in-vivo achieved by monocytes and multicellular cells called osteoclast.
 Aquasomes possess large size and active surface hence can be efficiently loaded.
 Aquasomes deliver contents through combination of specific targeting, molecular shielding, and slow sustained release
process.
 Aquasomes water like properties provides a platform for preserving the conformational integrity and biochemical
stability of bio-actives.

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Characterization
 Structural analysis,
 Particle size and morphology.
 Transmission electron microscopy
 Scanning electron microscopy.
 X-ray powder diffractometry

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Application
 Aquasomes as red blood cell substitutes , haemoglobin immobilized on oligomer surface because release
of oxygen by haemoglobin is conformationally sensitive.
 Aquasomes used as vaccines for delivery of viral antigen i.e Epstein-barr and Immune deficiency virus.
 Aquasomes used for successful targetted intracellular gene therapy.
 Aquasomes for pharmaceutical delivery i.e insulin.
 Aquasomes also used for delivery of enzymes like DNAase and pigment/ dyes.

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Aquasomes for Gene Therapy

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Protein/ Surface
Macromolecule
Use Rationale
Active drug e.g. Insulin Pharmaceuticals Drug activity is conformationally specific
Polypeptide e.g. DNase Enzymes Activity fluctuates with molecular conformation
Antigenic envelope proteins
including EBV & HIV
Vaccines To be effective protective antibodies, the objective of vaccine
therapy must be triggered by conformationally target molecules
Genetic material Gene therapy Targeted intracellular delivery
Application

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References
 Vyas S.P and Khar R.K (2004), Targetted & controlled Drug Delivery,CBS Publisher & Distributor , New Delhi, 28-30.
 Kossovsky N. Gelman A., Sponsler E.D and Millet D. (1991), Nano-crystalline Epstein-Bar Vims decoys, Appl. Biomater, 2: 251-259.
 Dunitz J.D (1994), The entropic cost of bound water in crystals and biomolecules, Science,264-270.
 Cevc G., Drug delivery across the skin. Exp. Opin invest Drugs 1997:1887-1973
 Bhatia A., Kumar R., Tamoxifen in Topical liposomes, development and Characterization and in-vitro evaluation, j pharm Sci; 20047(2), 252-259.
 Jain. N. K. “Advances in controlled drug delivery system”; 317-328.
 www.pharmainfonet.com/aquasomes.

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