Research progress in brain-targeted nasal drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• The nasal cavity's unique anatomy facilitates direct drug transport to the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier.
• Nasal administration offers advantages over oral and injectable routes, including avoidance of first-pass metabolism and improved patient compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the physiological basis of intranasal brain drug delivery.
• To explore pathways, influencing factors, and enhancement strategies for targeted drug delivery to the brain via the nose.
• To summarize experimental methods and current limitations in intranasal drug delivery research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of anatomical and physiological connections between the nasal cavity and brain.
• Analysis of drug transport pathways and factors affecting intranasal delivery efficiency.
• Examination of biomaterial applications for enhancing brain-targeted drug delivery systems.
• Overview of common experimental techniques in intranasal drug delivery research.

Main Results:

• Established anatomical and physiological links enable direct nose-to-brain drug delivery, bypassing the blood-brain barrier.
• Nasal administration circumvents hepatic first-pass metabolism and injection-related compliance issues.
• Optimized nasal drug delivery systems can maximize brain targeting, enhancing therapeutic efficacy for central nervous system disorders while minimizing systemic side effects.

Conclusions:

• Intranasal drug delivery presents a promising strategy for treating central nervous system diseases due to direct brain access.
• Further research into biomaterial applications and optimized delivery systems is crucial for advancing this therapeutic pathway.
• Understanding the factors influencing intranasal brain delivery is essential for developing effective treatments.