Scientists at Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have created a unique way to deliver Tuberculosis (TB) medicines directly to the brain bypassing the challenging blood-brain barrier (BBB) that limits the effectiveness of many brain TB medicines.
- This innovative drug delivery method can effectively treat brain TB, a life-threatening condition with high mortality rate.
- Tuberculosis (TB) that affects the brain, called Central Nervous System Tuberculosis (CNS-TB), is one of the most dangerous forms of TB, often leading to severe complications or death.
- One of the biggest challenges in treating CNS-TB is that the drugs used to treat TB struggle to reach the brain because of a protective barrier known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
- This barrier prevents many medicines from entering the brain, limiting their effectiveness. Scientists team developed chitosan nano-aggregates, tiny clusters of nanoparticles made from chitosan, a biocompatible and biodegradable material.
- The drug delivery technology used was nose-to-brain (N2B) drug delivery, which utilizes the olfactory and trigeminal nerve pathways in the nasal cavity to bypass the BBB.
Chitosan
- Chitosan is a biosourced polymer made up of glycosamine units.
- Chitosan is known for its mucoadhesive properties, and sticks to the nasal mucosa, which helps the nano-aggregates stay in place and prolongs the time they can release the drug, enhancing its therapeutic effectiveness.
- Chitosan is neither soluble in water nor in organic solvents.
Blood–brain barrier (BBB)
- Blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a natural protective membrane that prevents central nervous system (CNS) from toxins and pathogens in blood.
- However, the presence of BBB complicates the pharmacotherapy for CNS disorders as the most chemical drugs and biopharmaceuticals have been impeded to enter the brain.
