Preparation and characterization of particulate drug delivery systems for the brain targeting

This chapter will describe how the employment of polymeric particulate systems can be of great utility in trying to transport drugs into the CNS. We will describe nanoparticles as the best systems able to induce drug delivery from the bloodstream to the brain. In particular, the preparation, drug loading, and characterization methods of nanoparticles will be illustrated, taking into account the surface modifications necessary to obtain both long-circulating and brain-targeting properties. Another aspect that we will cover is based on the following considerations: recently, the nasal route has been proposed as a promising way to target drugs into the brain that were unable to overcome the physiologic barriers between the blood and CNS. Currently, there is great interest in exploiting the potential for direct transport into the brain via the olfactory region. We will analyze the potential role of polymeric micro- and nanoparticulate systems that can be employed for nasal administration of drugs.