Nanoparticle Drug Delivery to Brain – A Review

The brain is the most delicate and most protected organ of the body. Many pharmaceutical approaches are rendered ineffective in delivering the drug to the brain. The methods that can enhance drug delivery to brain are, therefore of great interest. The nanoparticles are emerged as effective means of delivering the drug to the brain. The present review details the problems in crossing blood brain barrier, the possible mechanisms to cross the BBB, examples of nanoparticles targeted to brain and the methods to prepare them and their characterization. Though less information is available on toxicity, the nanoparticle approach for drug delivery to brain may prove to be very useful in treatment of brain tumour, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.