Drug delivery in overcoming the blood-brain barrier: role of nasal mucosal grafting.
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a fundamental role in protecting and maintaining the homeostasis of the brain. For this reason, drug delivery to the brain is much more difficult than that to other compartments of the body. In order to bypass or cross the BBB, many strategies have been developed: invasive techniques, such as temporary disruption of the BBB or direct intraventricular and intracerebral administration of the drug, as well as noninvasive techniques. Preliminary results, reported in the large number of studies on the potential strategies for brain delivery, are encouraging, but it is far too early to draw any conclusion about the actual use of these therapeutic approaches. Among the most recent, but still pioneering, approaches related to the nasal mucosa properties, the permeabilization of the BBB via nasal mucosal engrafting can offer new potential opportunities. It should be emphasized that this surgical procedure is quite invasive, but the implication for patient outcome needs to be compared to the gold standard of direct intracranial injection, and evaluated whilst keeping in mind that central nervous system diseases and lysosomal storage diseases are chronic and severely debilitating and that up to now no therapy seems to be completely successful.
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
Carlotta
C
Marianecci
Center for Life Nano Science@ Sapienza, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy.
Federica
F
Rinaldi
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
Patrizia Nadia
PN
Hanieh
Department of Pharmacy, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy.
Luisa
L
Di Marzio
IRC FSH-Interregional Research Center for Food Safety & Health, Campus Universitario "S. Venuta", University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, Campus Universitario "S. Venuta", University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy.
Donatella
D
Paolino
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
Maria
M
Carafa
D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism*
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
BBB; CNS; enzyme replacement therapies; grafting; lysosomal storage diseases; nasal mucosa