Natural herbs demonstrate significant therapeutic potential in managing chronic and complex diseases; however, their clinical application faces limitations due to low bioavailability, instability, toxicity, and herb-drug interactions. Furthermore, insufficient standardized evidence and global acceptance impede their widespread adoption. Liposomes, nanocarriers consisting of a phospholipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous core, present a promising approach for enhancing the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of herbal compounds. These adaptable systems can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents, enabling targeted drug delivery and enhanced stability. Moreover, liposomes can be modified to carry diagnostic and imaging agents, enabling precise disease detection and monitoring. While liposomes offer potential as an innovative delivery technology for herbal remedies, their application in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remains relatively unexplored. TCM, with its holistic, energy-based approach to health and organ function, presents distinct challenges regarding formulation and delivery. This review examines the therapeutic potential of herbal medicines, emphasizing how liposomes address delivery challenges within the TCM framework. It also investigates the integration of TCM with Western medical practices, demonstrating how liposomal systems may bridge these approaches. The review analyzes key formulation techniques for TCM-loaded liposomes, particularly the microfluidic method, which demonstrates superior control over particle size and encapsulation efficiency compared to conventional methods. The analysis addresses barriers to integrating liposomal delivery systems with TCM, including physicochemical properties, scalability issues, and regulatory challenges. Finally, this review provides strategic recommendations for overcoming these obstacles and identifies future research directions to maximize the potential of liposomal technology in enhancing TCM therapies.
Liposomes/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Animals ; Nanoparticles/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE：To preparea novel Curcumin （Cur）dry powder inhalation （DPI）loaded by nanoporous flower-shaped lactose（FL），and to provide a safe and effective intrapulmonary drug delivery method for the therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with insoluble drugs. METHODS ：FL-loaded Cur （Cur-FL） compound powder was prepared by solution adsorption method. Using drug-loading amount and adsorption rate as indicators ，single-factor experiment was used to optimize Cur concentration，Cur-FL ratio （m/m）and adsorption time so as to determine the optimal preparation technology for Cur-FL compound powder. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ，scanning electron microscope and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of Cur-FL compound powder prepared with optimal technology. The water content and aerodynamic properties were determined ；in vitro drug release behavior was investigated by simulating the environment of artificial lung fluid. RESULTS ：The optimal preparation technology of Cur-FL compound powder was Cur concentration of 5 mg/mL，Cur-FL ratio of 1 ∶ 4，adsorption time of 1 h. The drug-loading amount of compound powder was （23.37±0.43）％，the encapsulation rate was （91.64±0.44）％，and the adsorption rate was （30.50±0.72）％. Cur-FL particles were flower shaped ；Cur was physically adsorbed in the pores of FL without chemical changes. The bulk density of Cur-FL compound was （0.21±0.02） g/cm3，tap density was （0.33±0.01）g/cm3，angle of repose was（24.07±0.31）°，average particle size was （3.96±0.80） μm，aerodynamic particle size was （3.33±0.99）μm，water content was （5.63 ±0.24）％，emptying rate was （92.53± 0.87）％，and deposition rate of effective parts in vitro was son- （45.93 ± 1.77）％ . Its 24 h solubility in artificial lung gwen.tan@csu.edu.cn fluid [（358.93±1.67）μg/mL] were 3.28 times of Cur ，48 h cumulative release ratesin in vitro （90.21％）were 1.63 times of Cur ，but Cur+FL physical mixture could not improve the solubility and release of Cur in artificial lung fluid. CONCLUSIONS ：Cur-FL compound powder has good in vitro release property ，and its powder properties ，solubility，water content ，fluidity and aerodynamic properties meet the requirements of DPI in Chinese Pharmacopoeia.