| abstract |
A mucosal formulation for administration to mucosal membranes, such as in the mouth, nasal passage, stomach, vagina, etc., is disclosed. The mucosal formulation contains a lipid-pharmaceutical agent complex formed from phospholipids possessing a hydrophobic moiety that orients into a hydrophobic phase and a polar head moiety that orients towards the aqueous phase (i.e., 'amphipathic' lipids). When placed in an aqueous medium (e.g., vaginal fluid), the phospholipids form liposomes or other small lipid vesicles (e.g., micelles) that may then be used to deliver pharmaceutical agents into a living organism. |