title: Intranasal erythropoietin therapy in nervous system disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Erythropoietin (EPO) is a growth hormone and cytokine that plays an important role in erythropoiesis and neuroprotection. However, EPO treatment for neurological diseases requires repeated injections or high-dose systemic administration, which may cause systemic side effects. The lack of any effective treatment of acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases and the promising outcome by EPO in animal models in vivo demand a critical evaluation of intranasal EPO delivery to the brain as an alternative administration method.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current use and intranasal administration of EPO and its derivatives in preclinical studies and recent clinical trials with EPO in neurological diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This paper gives an overview of the therapeutic considerations of intranasal EPO and EPO derivatives for neuroprotection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intranasal delivery (ID) of neuroprotective drugs is an area of great interest. Among the administration strategies used at present, ID of EPO is the most promising. Further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to evaluate the potential significance of this alternative route for increasing EPO bioavailability and decreasing side effects.
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Health Science Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Inciralti, 35340, Izmir, Turkey. sermin.genc@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Sermin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genc
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zadeoglulari
authors.forename: Meryem Gulfem
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Kursad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Genc
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Digicaylioglu
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin