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Systemic and Local Drug Delivery for Treating Diseases of the Central Nervous System in Rodent Models
Published on: August 16, 2010
Chapter 1 - Drug delivery to the brain using colloidal carriers.
Jiang Chang1, Youssef Jallouli, Alexandre Barras
1EA 2689, Laboratory of Physiology, IMPRT, University of Lille 2, 1 place Verdun, 59045 Lille, France.
Progress in Brain Research
|March 23, 2010
Summary
Older populations face increased risks of brain diseases. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) hinders drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS), but colloid strategies offer potential solutions for brain therapeutics.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and brain infections increase with age.
- The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts the passage of most therapeutics into the central nervous system (CNS).
- The BBB's structure, characterized by tight endothelial junctions and low endocytosis, acts as a lipid bilayer, impeding polar substance transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and rationalize strategies for targeting drug delivery to the brain.
- To explore the use of different colloids for overcoming the BBB.
- To address the challenges in translational neuroscience research related to CNS drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing drug delivery strategies for the CNS.
- Analysis of colloid-based approaches for brain targeting.
- Rationalization of methods to circumvent the blood-brain barrier.
Main Results:
- Identification of various colloid types and their potential for brain drug delivery.
- Evaluation of strategies to enhance therapeutic agent transport across the BBB.
- Discussion of the principles underlying successful CNS drug targeting.
Conclusions:
- Colloid-based strategies represent a promising avenue for improving drug delivery to the brain.
- Overcoming the BBB remains a critical challenge in treating CNS disorders.
- Further research into rational colloid design is essential for advancing brain therapeutics.
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