Internal medicine

Neuroscience

Nanotechnology

Systemic circulation

Blood circulation

Central nervous system

Biology

Surgery

Materials science

Nose

Blood–brain barrier

Drug delivery

Drug

Traditional medicine

Medicine

Nasal administration

Pharmacology

Pharmaceutics

Treatment of neurodegenerative diseases or other central nervous system (CNS) disorders has always been a significant challenge. The nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the penetration of therapeutic molecules to the brain after oral or parenteral administration, which, in combination with hepatic metabolism and drug elimination and inactivation during its journey in the systemic circulation, decreases the efficacy of the treatment, requires high drug doses and often induces adverse side effects. Nose-to-brain drug delivery allows the direct transport of therapeutic molecules by bypassing the BBB and increases drug concentration in the brain. The present review describes mechanisms of nose-to-brain drug delivery and discusses recent advances in this area with especial emphasis on nanotechnology-based approaches.

Nanotherapeutics for Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery: An Approach to Bypass the Blood Brain Barrier