Ear as an alternative way for brain drug targeting: An Overview

Abstract

The brain is a delicate organ, and evolution built very efficient ways to protect it. The same mechanisms that protect it against intrusive chemicals can also frustrate therapeutic interventions. Many existing pharmaceuticals are rendered ineffective in the treatment of cerebral diseases due to our inability to effectively deliver and sustain them within the brain. The article reviews the feasibility of delivering drugs to brain via ear, and provides a novel route for delivering drugs to the brain tissues. The targeted delivery has been shown to reduce the toxicity and increase the therapeutic efficacy many-fold. The potential drugs for the treatment of most brain diseases are therefore often not able to cross these barriers. As a result, various drug delivery and targeting strategies are currently being developed and evaluated to enhance the transport and distribution of drugs into the brain. Ear drug administration in naoparticulate form shows great potential and offers a promising alternative to brain-targeted drug delivery.