Carbon Nano Tubes: Novel Drug Delivery System in Amelioration of Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Background: Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder manifested with symptoms like loss of memory (known as dementia), personality changes, loss of cognition, impaired movement, confusion, deteriorated planning and thought process. Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease is the result of the deposition of protein beta-amyloid that forms plaques and another protein called tau, forming tangles that prevent the proper functioning of nerve cells in the brain.

Methods: The goal of the review was to comprehensively study the utilization of nanotechnology and the role that carbon nanotubes can play as a drug delivery system for the amelioration of Alzheimer's disease.

Results: Nanotechnology is one of the most researched domains of modern science. It contributes significantly to therapeutics by facilitating drug therapy to reach the target sites, which are otherwise difficult to reach with conventional drug delivery systems. Carbon nanotubes are the allotropes of carbon in which several carbon atoms bind with each other to form a cylindrical or a tube-like structure. The carbon nanotubes possess several unique qualities, which confer them with a high potential of being utilized as an efficient drug delivery system. They offer high drug loading and can readily cross the toughest biological barriers like the BBB. Carbon nanotubes also facilitate the passage of drugs to the brain via the olfactory route, which further helps in restoring normal autophagy, thus preventing the elimination of autophagic chemicals. They can carry a vast range of cargos, including drugs, antigens, genetic materials, and biological macromolecules.

Conclusion: Carbon nanotubes are a highly promising drug delivery system for anti-Alzheimer's drugs. They have the potential of overcoming the various biological barriers like the BBB. However, more extensive research is required so as to set up a firm base for the development of advanced commercial products based on carbon nanotubes for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; autophagy.; blood-brain barrier; carbon nanotubes; dementia; nanotechnology.