review · Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal
Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases present severe global health burdens. Existing therapies largely focus on lifelong symptom management rather than targeting underlying causes, and their effectiveness is frequently hindered by adverse side effects and an inability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates to address these limitations. Their unique physicochemical features and inherent capability to cross the blood-brain barrier allow them to function as carriers for central nervous system drugs. Beyond standard delivery, these nanoparticles can act as fibril scavengers, support sustained or enhanced drug release, and enable targeted brain therapy through responsive release mechanisms. Evaluating nanoparticle neurotoxicity remains an essential component in determining their suitability for therapeutic applications.
Treating conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's is exceptionally difficult because many medicines cannot easily enter the brain to reach target tissues. Using mesoporous silica nanoparticles as delivery vehicles could help active compounds navigate past protective biological barriers. This approach might improve drug effectiveness, minimise systemic side effects, and clear harmful protein fibrils, ultimately improving management strategies for individuals living with neurodegenerative conditions.
These nanoparticles could enable pharmaceutical developers to create advanced targeted delivery platforms and therapeutic scavengers for central nervous system disorders. The technology is at an early research and review stage, requiring extensive safety, efficacy, and neurotoxicity testing before any formulation could progress towards clinical development and market use.
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Worldwide, populations face significant burdens from neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), especially Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Although there are many proposed etiologies for neurodegenerative disorders, including genetic and environmental factors, the exact pathogenesis for these disorders is not fully understood. Most patients with NDDs are given lifelong treatment to improve their quality of life. There are myriad treatments for NDDs; however, these agents are limited by their side effects and difficulty in passing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Furthermore, the central nervous system (CNS) active pharmaceuticals could offer symptomatic relief for the patient's condition without providing a complete cure or prevention by targeting the disease's cause. Recently, Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have gained interest in treating NDDs since their physicochemical properties and inherent ability to pass BBB make them possible drug carriers for several drugs for NDDs treatment. This paper provides insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of NDDs, along with the recent advances in applying MSNs as fibril scavengers. Moreover, the application of MSNs-based formulations in enhancing or sustaining drug release rate, and brain targeting via their responsive release properties, besides the neurotoxicity of MSNs, have been reviewed.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.01.009
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