Abstract
Neurological disorders represent one of the major health concerns worldwide. Yet currently employed treatment strategies have not been very successful in the treatment of many of these disorders. One of the root causes of this lack of success is that many pharmaceutically active compounds are unable to reach their target sites of action inside the body. The delivery of substances from systemic circulation to the desired site of action, namely central nervous system (CNS), is hindered by CNS extracellular and intracellular barriers. One promising approach to circumvent these barriers is the use of nanoscaled drug delivery systems. These nanosized drug carriers display various advantages over other conventional drug delivery methods such as high drug loading capacity, targeted action, reduced toxicity, and increased therapeutic effect. Nano-neuroscience is thereby emerging as an exciting field of study and a promising future direction for the delivery of therapeutics to their targeted site of action inside the CNS for the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we will first discuss the general pharmacokinetics of therapeutics depending on the route of administration, drawbacks of conventional drug delivery systems and challenges for CNS drug delivery, namely CNS barriers. Next, a short overview of the strategies to circumvent these barriers will be given. Finally, nanotechnology and its emerging use as drug delivery systems will be discussed. This includes the advantages of nanoparticles over other conventional drug delivery systems; production of nanoparticles and their designing as an effective drug carrier; various types of nanoparticles; and some examples of their efficient use in the delivery of bioactive substances, and in the treatment of neurological disorders mainly Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumors and neuroAIDS. Lastly, a future perspective on the use of nanotechnology in CNS drug delivery will be highlighted.
Keywords: Blood-brain barrier, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, drug administration, drug delivery, nanomedicine, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, neurological disorders.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Emerging Use of Nanotechnology in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders
Volume: 21 Issue: 22
Author(s): Resham Chhabra, Giovanni Tosi and Andreas M. Grabrucker
Affiliation:
Keywords: Blood-brain barrier, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, drug administration, drug delivery, nanomedicine, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, neurological disorders.
Abstract: Neurological disorders represent one of the major health concerns worldwide. Yet currently employed treatment strategies have not been very successful in the treatment of many of these disorders. One of the root causes of this lack of success is that many pharmaceutically active compounds are unable to reach their target sites of action inside the body. The delivery of substances from systemic circulation to the desired site of action, namely central nervous system (CNS), is hindered by CNS extracellular and intracellular barriers. One promising approach to circumvent these barriers is the use of nanoscaled drug delivery systems. These nanosized drug carriers display various advantages over other conventional drug delivery methods such as high drug loading capacity, targeted action, reduced toxicity, and increased therapeutic effect. Nano-neuroscience is thereby emerging as an exciting field of study and a promising future direction for the delivery of therapeutics to their targeted site of action inside the CNS for the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we will first discuss the general pharmacokinetics of therapeutics depending on the route of administration, drawbacks of conventional drug delivery systems and challenges for CNS drug delivery, namely CNS barriers. Next, a short overview of the strategies to circumvent these barriers will be given. Finally, nanotechnology and its emerging use as drug delivery systems will be discussed. This includes the advantages of nanoparticles over other conventional drug delivery systems; production of nanoparticles and their designing as an effective drug carrier; various types of nanoparticles; and some examples of their efficient use in the delivery of bioactive substances, and in the treatment of neurological disorders mainly Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumors and neuroAIDS. Lastly, a future perspective on the use of nanotechnology in CNS drug delivery will be highlighted.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Chhabra Resham, Tosi Giovanni and Grabrucker M. Andreas, Emerging Use of Nanotechnology in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2015; 21 (22) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612821666150531164124
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612821666150531164124 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Blood-based biomarkers in large-scale screening for neurodegenerative diseases
Disease biomarkers are necessary tools that can be employ in several clinical context of use (COU), ranging from the (early) diagnosis, prognosis, prediction, to monitor of disease state and/or drug efficacy. Regarding neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a battery of well-validated biomarkers are available, such as cerebrospinal fluid ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Diabetes mellitus: advances in diagnosis and treatment driving by precision medicine
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic degenerative metabolic disease with ever increasing prevalence worldwide which is now an epidemic disease affecting 500 million people worldwide. Insufficient insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells unable to maintain blood glucose homeostasis is the main feature of this disease. Multifactorial and complex nature of ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
![Wayfinder Image](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Subject Index To Volume 6
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency: Disadvantages and Possible Benefits
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets An Orally Bioavailable c-Met Kinase Inhibitor Potently Inhibits Brain Tumor Malignancy and Growth
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Molecular Probing and Imaging of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in Cancer Treatment
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Preface
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Personalized Medicine for Glioblastoma: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities
Current Molecular Medicine Novel Therapies Against Aggressive and Recurrent Epithelial Cancers by Molecular Targeting Tumor- and Metastasis-Initiating Cells and Their Progenies
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Modulation of intracellular pH in human ovarian cancer.
Current Molecular Medicine Regulation of the Urokinase Receptor (uPAR) by LDL Receptor-related Protein-1 (LRP1)
Current Pharmaceutical Design Role of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Axl and its Targeting in Cancer Cells
Current Medicinal Chemistry Overview of Mechanisms of Cancer Stem Cell Drug Resistance
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Intracellular Routing of Cytotoxic Pancreatic-Type Ribonucleases
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology The Anti-Cancer Activity of Noscapine: A Review
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Hypoxia and Inflammation in Prostate Cancer Progression. Cross-talk with Androgen and Estrogen Receptors and Cancer Stem Cells
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Distinguishing Intramedullary Spinal Cord Neoplasms from Non-Neoplastic Conditions by Analyzing the Classic Signs on MRI in the Era of AI
Current Medical Imaging Chlorella vulgaris Induces Apoptosis of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) Cells
Medicinal Chemistry Host Pharmacogenetics in the Treatment of HIV and Cancer
Current Drug Safety Oncolytic Viruses: The Best is Yet to Come
Current Cancer Drug Targets Molecular Imaging Strategies for In Vivo Tracking of MicroRNAs: A Comprehensive Review
Current Medicinal Chemistry Drug Combinations Enhancing the Antineoplastic Effects of Erlotinib in High-Grade Glioma
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery