Insights into direct nose to brain delivery: current status and future perspective

Drug Deliv. 2014 Mar;21(2):75-86. doi: 10.3109/10717544.2013.838713. Epub 2013 Oct 9.

Abstract

Now a day's intranasal (i.n) drug delivery is emerging as a reliable method to bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver a wide range of therapeutic agents including both small and large molecules, growth factors, viral vectors and even stem cells to the brain and has shown therapeutic effects in both animals and humans. This route involves the olfactory or trigeminal nerve systems which initiate in the brain and terminate in the nasal cavity at the olfactory neuroepithelium or respiratory epithelium. They are the only externally exposed portions of the central nervous system (CNS) and therefore represent the most direct method of noninvasive entry into the brain. This approach has been primarily used to explore therapeutic avenues for neurological diseases. The potential for treatment possibilities with olfactory transfer of drugs will increase as more effective formulations and delivery devices are developed. Recently, the apomorphine hydrochloride dry powders have been developed for i.n. delivery (Apomorphine nasal, Lyonase technology, Britannia Pharmaceuticals, Surrey, UK). The results of clinical trial Phase III suggested that the prepared formulation had clinical effect equivalent to subcutaneously administered apomorphine. In coming years, intranasal delivery of drugs will demand more complex and automated delivery devices to ensure accurate and repeatable dosing. Thus, new efforts are needed to make this noninvasive route of delivery more efficient and popular, and it is also predicted that in future a range of intranasal products will be used in diagnosis as well as treatment of CNS diseases. This review will embark the existing evidence of nose-to-brain transport. It also provides insights into the most relevant pre-clinical studies of direct nose-brain delivery and delivery devices which will provide relative success of intranasal delivery system. We have, herein, outlined the relevant aspects of CNS drugs given intranasally to direct the brain in treating CNS disorders like Alzheimer's disease, depression, migraine, schizophrenia, etc.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Central Nervous System Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Central Nervous System Agents / metabolism
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Drug Delivery Systems / trends*
  • Forecasting
  • Humans
  • Nasal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Nose / drug effects
  • Olfactory Mucosa / drug effects
  • Olfactory Mucosa / metabolism

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Agents