Drug delivery systems using colloidal particulate carriers such as liposomes and niosomes have distinct advantages over conventional dosage forms. This class of drug carrier systems will likely play an increasingly important role in drug delivery. However, there remain significant problems like instability in the general application of liposomes and niosomes for drug delivery. Provesicular concept has evolved to resolve the stability issues pertaining to the conventional vesicular systems i.e. liposomes and niosomes. Provesicular systems are composed of water soluble porous powder as a carrier upon which one may load phospholipids/nonionic surfactants and drugs dissolved in organic solvent. The resultant dry free-flowing granular product could be hydrated immediately before use and can avoid many of the problems associated with aqueous vesicular dispersions. The new emerging concept has demonstrated the potential of proliposomes/proniosomes in improving the oral bioavailability and permeation of drugs across the stratum corneum. Based on the investigations it is clear that provesicular systems appear to be an alternate drug carrier for various routes of drug administration.
