Theoretical and applied concepts of nanocarriers for the treatment of Parkinson's diseases

Abstract

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta region (SNpc) of the brain. Although, FDA-approved therapeutic agents are available for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, the permeability of available therapeutic agents can be challenged by the presence of a Blood-Brain Barrier. Thus, the bioavailability of drugs in the brain is compromised. Moreover, the pooling of drugs in the blood may produce side effects due to the distribution of drugs to peripheral organs rather than the brain. Interestingly, nanotechnology provided solutions to the problem associated with antiparkinson's therapy i.e., lack of site-specific delivery. Nanocarriers with unique physicochemical characteristics can traverse the Blood–Brain Barrier via different mechanisms. Recently, several nanotechnology-based exciting strategies including the functionalization of therapeutics carrying nanocarriers with suitable ligand (s) may help for the site-specific delivery and can improve distribution to the brain. In this review, we try to present the applicability of different nanocarriers in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Keywords

• Neurodegeneration
• Parkinson's disease
• Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB)
• Nanocarriers
• Lewy bodies