Lecithin Organogels as a Potential Phospholipid-Structured System for Topical Drug Delivery: A Review

The 2005 review discusses lecithin organogels (LOs) as a promising system for topical drug delivery, highlighting their clear, stable, viscoelastic, and biocompatible properties. LOs are capable of enhancing skin permeation and absorption of various drugs, including muscle relaxants, steroids, hormones, analgesics, and antiemetics. They are prepared through spontaneous emulsification, leading to a prolonged shelf life and low skin irritancy potential. The review covers their formation, composition, phase behavior, and characterization, noting that LOs can entrap a significant amount of the external organic phase and that their properties can be adjusted by modifying formulation components. A study involving 151 volunteers showed LOs have a very low acute irritation potential, suitable for long-term applications. Despite their potential, the review calls for more research to fully understand their structural details and drug transport mechanisms.