CNS drug targeting: have we travelled in right path?
BACKGROUND
Brain disorders, their prevalence and central nervous system (CNS) targeting are now at the rise. However, complexities of blood brain barrier (BBB) have limited the success of CNS targeting. Basic criteria necessary for passive diffusion were believed to influence the CNS drug delivery. However, often, BBB transportation has differed from the dogma of basic criteria.


OBJECTIVE
This communication resets the extent to which basic criteria influence the brain delivery, through commanding examples. Further, it appraises the intervention of ABC transporters in BBB transportation, with a special emphasis on P-glycoprotein; and also brings forth the successful CNS transportation of therapeutics achieved through chimeric peptide technology. As a right path to travel, it flickers light on the novel CNS molecular drug targets/biomarkers which are specially expressed by diseased cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening for right molecular target is of great importance for cost and time effective drug discovery process. The principle of chimeric peptide technology should be applied for CNS targeting; and every diseased cell should be screened for its biomarker. Thanks to glycan/lectin arrays technique which scans expression pattern of transporter and their possible ligands, and paves way for a new dimensional research.
Department of Pharmaceutics, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi , Uttar Pradesh , India.
Antony Deva
AD
Punitha
Anand Kumar
AK
Srivastava
D001692:Biological Transport; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013499:Surface Properties
D002491:Central Nervous System Agents