Ufasomes: Unsaturated Fatty Acid–Based Vesicular Systems and Drug Delivery Applications

Ufasomes, vesicular carriers formed from unsaturated fatty acids and their salts, represent a natural, low-cost, and biocompatible alternative to conventional lipid-based delivery systems. These self-assembled bilayers, stable within a narrow pH range (7–9), possess the ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and lipophilic agents, offering versatility in drug delivery. Recent studies have demonstrated their potential in topical and transdermal applications, antifungal and antibacterial therapy, cancer treatment, antioxidant delivery, and cosmeceuticals. Their amphiphilic structure enhances skin penetration and supports controlled or stimuli-responsive drug release, while preparation methods such as pH-induced self-assembly, thin-film hydration, sonication, and emerging microfluidics enable tailored vesicle characteristics. Characterization techniques, including dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, and electron microscopy, provide insights into particle size, morphology, and stability, which are critical for reproducibility and therapeutic performance. However, challenges such as oxidative degradation, aggregation, limited stability outside the neutral pH window, and scale-up difficulties hinder their broader pharmaceutical translation. Current research is addressing these limitations through antioxidant incorporation, polymeric coatings, hybrid vesicles, and advanced processing technologies. Looking ahead, ufasomes hold promise as responsive and targeted drug carriers, with emerging roles in gene delivery, vaccine formulations, diagnostics, and tissue engineering. The integration of stabilizing strategies, scalable manufacturing, and regulatory evaluation will be key to advancing their clinical utility. Overall, ufasomes offer a sustainable, safe, and adaptable platform with significant potential for next-generation drug delivery and biomedical applications.