Potential of surface functionalized nanoparticles for improved therapy of refractory central nervous system disorders

Abstract

During the last decade pharmaceutical drug delivery research has been focused on enhancement of the drug efficacy by improving their selectivity to the target organ in the body. In most of drug delivery system, only a small fraction of the administered dose of the drug reaches to its therapeutic site of action, central nervous system (CNS) disorders likewise not devoid of this conception. The incidence of central nervous system disorders in humans increases with age; this, along with the fact that very few drugs can cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), exacerbates the problem of drug delivery to the central nervous system, as it act as major impediment for drug penetration in to brain. One of the virtually promising approach is to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain by using nanoparticles. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems can pervade across the blood brain barrier and target to the central nervous system by modifying the surface and sequestering different ligands to them. Nanoparticles (NPs) in this regard can serve as a potential module for ferrying large doses of drugs across the blood brain barrier by various approaches like inhibiting P-glycoprotein efflux pump, adsorptive mediated endocytosis, etc. The current review explores the different impediments for brain drug delivery, diverse possible mechanisms by which the NPs can effectually deliver potential bioactive agents to the central nervous system and the prospects of surface modified NPs to enhance the transport of therapeutic agents across the brain, providing refined drug delivery.