S. Medda et al., GLYCOSIDE-BEARING LIPOSOMAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS AGAINST MACROPHAGE-ASSOCIATED DISORDERS INVOLVING MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE AND MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS, Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics, 32(3), 1995, pp. 147-151
Asiaticoside, a plant glycoside with rhamnose as end sugar and having
microbicidal properties was tested against Mycobacterium leprae and My
cobacterium tuberculosis both in vivo and in vitro. As rhamnose is rep
orted to have no tissue specificity, corchorusin D having glucose as e
nd sugar was used for targeting with an equimolar proportion of asiati
coside in liposomal form for testing the drug value. Results showed th
at liposomal asiaticoside had better microbicidal property against M.
leprae and M. tuberculosis when compared to that of free asiaticoside
whereas liposomes containing asiaticoside and corchorusin D were found
to be equally or more active in comparison to liposomal asiaticoside
alone. It is inferred that appropriate glycosides, if used in liposoma
l form (incorporated or covalently grafted) have enhanced drug efficac
y and such glycoside bearing liposomes as targeted delivery systems co
uld be used for chemotherapeutic control of several other diseases.