Which statement about liposomes is NOT true?

• A. They are biologically inert and biodegradable.
• B. Liposomes can only encapsulate water soluble drugs.
• C. Liposome encapsulated drugs are less susceptible to degradation.
• D. Use of liposomes can decrease a drug's toxicity.

Answer: (B)

Liposomes can carry both water-soluble and lipid-soluble drugs because of their structure: an aqueous core inside a phospholipid bilayer. Water-soluble drugs reside in the core, while lipid-soluble drugs partition into the bilayer. So the statement that liposomes can only encapsulate water-soluble drugs is not true.

This dual-compartment design is what makes liposomes useful: encapsulation can protect the drug from degradation in the bloodstream, and altering how the drug is distributed in the body can reduce exposure to healthy tissues, lowering toxicity. In addition, liposomes are designed to be biocompatible and biodegradable, helping the formulation break down safely after delivering the drug.