Polysaccharide-Modified Liposomes: Advances in Surface Engineering for Targeted Drug Delivery

Liposomes remain one of the most utilized drug delivery systems due to their numerous advantages. However, they face significant challenges primarily due to their low colloidal stability as well as their rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial and mononuclear phagocyte systems. Surface modifications have been identified as a highly effective approach to address these challenges. Various molecules can be utilized as surface modifiers. However, polysaccharides are widely employed in this regard, due to their unique characteristics, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, as well as their ability to interact with the liposomal surface through different mechanisms. The aim of the present review is to provide a thorough analysis of polysaccharide-modified liposomes, highlighting recent advancements in their design, synthesis, and therapeutic applications. The utilization of polysaccharides as surface modifiers has been demonstrated to have several notable effects on liposomes. These effects include the enhancement of liposome properties, the provision of “stealth” properties, and the augmentation of colloidal stability. This review provides a comprehensive, polysaccharide-oriented analysis of liposomal surface modification strategies, along with a novel focus on the correlation between polysaccharide structure, modification method, and the resulting physicochemical and biological performance of the designed hybrid liposomes across a wide range of applications.