Rates of systemic degradation and reticuloendothelial system uptake of calcein in the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes with soybean-derived sterols in mice.

The systemic degradation and the reticuloendothelial system (RES) uptake of calcein entrapped in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes with soybean-derived sterols (SS) were examined after intravenous administration to mice by measuring the free and liposomal calcein levels in the blood. The results indicate that the rates of systemic degradation and the RES uptake of liposomes decrease with the addition of SS in DPPC liposomes since the SS has the ability to stabilize the liposomes. The rate of uptake by RES is larger than the rate of systemic degradation. The rate of leakage of calcein from liposomes by incubation in plasma in vitro is almost the same as that of systemic degradation in vivo.