Title:Colloidal Supramolecular Aggregates for Therapeutic Application in Neuromedicine
Volume: 21
Issue: 36
Author(s): Donato Cosco, Luisa Di Marzio, Carlotta Marianecci, Elena Trapasso, Donatella Paolino, Christian Celia, Maria Carafa and Massimo Fresta
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Colloidal nanocarriers, drug delivery systems, neuromedicine, supramolecular aggregates, supramolecular chemistry,
therapeutics.
Abstract: Neuromedicine has recently been emerging on the research scene and presents interesting challenges in therapeutics.
The range of therapies generally used to treat neurological disorders are limited in their efficacy and degree of patient
compliance because of the necessity of multiple drug dosages, low drug concentration in the central nervous system
and side effects. Moreover, therapeutics require standard drug dosages which cannot be personalized. The limiting obstacle
in neuromedicine is still the blood-brain barrier, which prevents the accumulation of endogenous and exogenous compounds
inside the brain. Various transporters located on the blood-brain barrier modulate the crossing of endogenous
compounds. It has been discovered that these transporters can be used as pathways for the transport of therapeutic agents
and macromolecules that pass the blood-brain barrier allowing the uptake of bioactive compounds into the central nervous
system. Several attempts have recently been made to develop forms of nanomedicine capable of overcoming the limitations
of conventional therapy, above all the crossing of the blood-brain barrier. An outstandingly promising option could
be the use of colloidal supramolecular aggregates. These nanodrugs are safe, biodegradable, and biocompatible and can
combine biomaterials useful for diagnostic and therapeutical applications. They can be modified using monoclonal antibodies,
proteins, peptides and macromolecules, thus providing personalized neuromedicine, which can be used in the
treatment of various neurological disorders. In this review, recent advancements of supramolecular colloidal devices as
neuromedicines are discussed, with particular focus on the latest developments.