Advances in Drug Delivery Systems for the Central Nervous System: Overcoming the Blood-Brain Barrier

Abstract

A dynamic and selective barrier, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) strictly controls the flow of chemicals from the bloodstream into the central nervous system (CNS). Although the BBB protects the body from dangerous infections and poisons, it also poses a major obstacle to the creation of efficient medications for neurological conditions. Recent developments in drug delivery systems (DDS) that attempt to cross the blood-brain barrier and enable targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs to the brain are the main topic of this study. We investigate a number of tactics, such as chemical approaches like receptor-mediated transcytosis and liposomal encapsulation, physical techniques like focused ultrasound and microbubble-assisted disruption, and the application of nano-materials like nano-particles and dendrimers to improve drug permeability. We also look at cutting-edge strategies like brain-targeted viral vectors and intranasal delivery, which completely circumvent the BBB by using different pathways or by using brain-specific targeting ligands. The review also emphasizes the present drawbacks and difficulties of these methods, including the requirement for exact control over drug release, variable targeting efficiency, and toxicity issues. Lastly, we go over the possible therapeutic uses of these sophisticated DDS, such as the management of brain tumors, psychiatric conditions, and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. These new drug delivery techniques present encouraging opportunities for the creation of safer and more efficient therapies for CNS illnesses by bridging the gap between preclinical research and clinical translation.