Nanoparticles for Brain Drug Delivery

Abstract

The central nervous system, one of the most delicate microenvironments of the body, is protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulating its homeostasis. BBB is a highly complex structure that tightly regulates the movement of ions of a limited number of small molecules and of an even more restricted number of macromolecules from the blood to the brain, protecting it from injuries and diseases. However, the BBB also significantly precludes the delivery of drugs to the brain, thus, preventing the therapy of a number of neurological disorders. As a consequence, several strategies are currently being sought after to enhance the delivery of drugs across the BBB. Within this review, the recently born strategy of brain drug delivery based on the use of nanoparticles, multifunctional drug delivery systems with size in the order of one-billionth of meters, is described. The review also includes a brief description of the structural and physiological features of the barrier and of the most utilized nanoparticles for medical use. Finally, the potential neurotoxicity of nanoparticles is discussed, and future technological approaches are described. The strong efforts to allow the translation from preclinical to concrete clinical applications are worth the economic investments.

Preparation and Evaluation of Pralidoxime‐Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles as Potential Carriers of the Drug across the Blood Brain Barrier

“…Thus they create a higher concentration gradient between the blood and brain than the one obtainable after systemic administration of the free drug [15]. The drug's pharmacokinetics can also be altered to favor the central nervous system delivery by increased circulation time of the drug in the blood stream as systems such as mononuclear phagocyte system only tag and remove particles with a minimal diameter of 1 micrometer from the circulation [16].…”

Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

“…The use of cationic lipids can be a strategy to improve mucoadhesion in the nasal cavity by promoting electrostatic interactions with mucus 215 in addition to mediating the adsorptive-mediated transcytosis cationic NPs across the BBB. 216 Coating NPs with surfactants can be an alternative strategy for delivery across the BBB. The transport of surfactant-coated NPs across the BBB may occur through endocytosis mediated by the endothelial cells of the brain capillaries.…”

Nanoparticles for Brain-Specific Drug and Genetic Material delivery, Imaging and Diagnosis

“…Moreover, the surface of QD can be decorated with different functional groups like carboxylic acids, primary amines and thiols, which can be used for conjugation with biomolecules such as antibodies, nucleic acids or peptides by either covalent or noncovalent interactions [6]. To date, the most common core/shell used in biological and medical research includes CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/ZnCdS, CdTe/CdSe and InP/ZnS, although their toxicity, including oxidative stress and cytotoxicity, likely limited their application in vivo [78].…”