An update on the role of nanovehicles in nose-to-brain drug delivery

• Published in: Drug discovery today Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 1079 - 1088
• Main Authors: Feng, Yunhai, He, Haisheng, Li, Fengqian, Lu, Yi, Qi, Jianping, Wu, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Brain - metabolism; Drug Carriers - administration & dosage; Humans; Nanoparticles - administration & dosage; Nose - metabolism
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.01.005

•NTB drug delivery is emerging as a novel approach for the treatment of CNS diseases.•DTE and DTP are two main indexes used to evaluate NTB delivery.•A quantitative analysis revealed limited advantages of particle-based formulations.•Nanovehicles have special features that facilitate enhanced NTB delivery. A quantitative analysis has cast doubt over the limited advantages provided by particles for nose-to-brain (NTB) drug delivery. Thus, it is imperative to identify the role of nanovehicles in NTB drug delivery. If nanocarriers are used merely as an option to improve various properties of the drugs or the formulations, it is difficult for them to outperform conventional formulations, such as solutions or gels. However, nanovehicles bring about special features, such as maintenance of the solubilized state of drugs, sustained or delayed release, and enhanced penetration because of surface modifications, all of which lead to enhanced NTB delivery efficiency.