A comprehensive review of nano drug delivery system in the treatment of CNS disorders

Abstract Due to the inability of the BBB to carry the drug into the brain, targeting drugs to the brain is one of the most challenging issues. Various invasive and non-invasive methods have been developed to overcome the limitations of the blood brain barrier. Among these methods, delivery of drugs by nanoparticles is one of the promising methods to administer therapeutics and imaging/diagnostic agent to the central nervous system with improved drug efficacy and reduced systemic drug toxicity. The use of nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems to encapsulate active molecules represents a good strategy to overcome several limitations of conventional drugs. Nanoparticles are able to deliver drug into inaccessible regions like the brain and also, being able to provide protection to therapeutic agents while efficiently delivering them into the specific sites. Additionally, NPs are also useful tools for body or organ imaging. In view of these considerations nano-carrier based drug delivery systems are presently being explored for their suitability for targeted brain delivery. The present review discusses the composition, mechanism of uptake, and different nanotechnology based strategies to bypass the blood–brain barrier.