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Review
. 2021 Dec 4;9(12):1834.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9121834.

Drug Delivery Challenges in Brain Disorders across the Blood-Brain Barrier: Novel Methods and Future Considerations for Improved Therapy

Aneesha Achar  1 , Rosemary Myers  1 , Chaitali Ghosh  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Drug Delivery Challenges in Brain Disorders across the Blood-Brain Barrier: Novel Methods and Future Considerations for Improved Therapy

Aneesha Achar et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Due to the physiological and structural properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the delivery of drugs to the brain poses a unique challenge in patients with central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Several strategies have been investigated to circumvent the barrier for CNS therapeutics such as in epilepsy, stroke, brain cancer and traumatic brain injury. In this review, we summarize current and novel routes of drug interventions, discuss pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics at the neurovascular interface, and propose additional factors that may influence drug delivery. At present, both technological and mechanistic tools are devised to assist in overcoming the BBB for more efficient and improved drug bioavailability in the treatment of clinically devastating brain disorders.

Keywords: CNS disorders; blood–brain barrier; current routes; drug bioavailability; drug regulatory mechanism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of potential targets and selective novel strategies for drug delivery to the brain across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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