Mechanisms and solutions for nasal drug delivery - a narrative review

The aim of this paper is to review mechanisms and solutions for nasal drug delivery. Literature survey was performed via PubMed, Google Scholar, Google, and ProQuest Central database of Kirikkale University. The nasal lining presents a large area of endothelium of variable permeability and with a rich vascular supply. Advantages of this route include eliminating first-pass metabolism and being easily accessible. The nasal route enables some agents which are otherwise difficult to administer to enter the systemic circulation, for example, low molecular mass compounds with high polarity, peptides, or proteins. There are three principal factors that influence the extent to which drugs can be absorbed through the nasal lining, namely the physico-chemical characteristics of the drug molecule itself, the action of the mucociliary system within the nose, and the presence of any factors increasing nasal absorption. A key factor limiting the use of the intranasal route of administration is insufficient absorption through the nasal mucosa. A number of drugs in development cannot be administered intranasally because their bioavailability following nasal administration is too low. There has been considerable research focus on methods to enhance absorption via the nasal mucosa. In this chapter, we review the literature related to this problem and discuss potential solutions.