This new volume, Nanocarriers for Brain Targeting: Principles and Applications, covers recent research on brain physiology and the development of drug delivery systems. It explores a diverse variety of strategies that can be employed to achieve drug targeting to the brain. The nanocarriers that are discussed include nanoparticles, vesicular carriers, carriers having carbon as a core constituent, dispersed systems, and more. The inherent anatomy and physiology of the brain renders it different from other organs. The past few decades have witnessed significant research on brain ailments in response to a majority of hospitalizations that occur due to age-related central nervous system disorders. The prevalence of diverse diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, HIV-dementia, etc., affect about 1.5 billion people globally, which is further anticipated to reach 1.9 billion by the year 2020. Nanocarriers for drug delivery to the brain are seen as one of the answers to this growing problem.

Nanocarriers for Drug-Targeting Brain Tumors covers different types of nanocarriers and their design and development for targeting drugs to the brain. The book also presents case studies and the mechanism of action of nanocarriers in drug targeting to a specific site. This helps researchers and clinicians understand the design, development and mechanism of action of nanocarriers. As brain tumors continue to be a significant health problem globally, and very complex for targeting drugs, conventional dosage forms are not very effective and side-effects are a major concern. Functionalized nanocarriers can address these problems. Furthermore, the targeting of nanocarriers is preferred for reducing toxicity and improving the effectiveness of the drugs. However, there is a need for understanding the design and development of formulation with the mechanism of action of nanocarriers for brain targeting. - Provides information on the design and development of nanocarriers for targeting brain tumors - Outlines the working principles of different nanocarriers for targeting brain tumors - Includes case studies of different nanocarriers for targeting brain tumors

Focusing on nanoparticulate nanocarriers and recent advances in the field of drug delivery, the volume begins with chapters that provide an informative introduction to polymeric nanoparticles—their general physicochemical features and characteristics, their applications in drug delivery systems, and the challenges involved. Specific applications are discussed, with attention paid to treatment of particular diseases and disorders and the targeting of specific organs. Part 2 looks at more specific applications and techniques of nanoparticulate nanocarriers for drug delivery, such as the use of magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles in therapeutics, and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) for the treatment of cancer. Part 3 discusses lipid-based nanoparticulates for various applications, including skin care. The last section of the book explores some of the newer nanoarchitectures, including dendrimers in gene delivery and carbon nanotubes for drug delivery. Together, the insightful research presented here provides valuable information for those involved in this area, including scientists and researchers and faculty and upper-level students, as well as for industry professionals.

Nanotechnology-Based Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Brain Tumors addresses brain anatomy and tumors and the progress and challenges in delivering drugs across the blood brain barrier. Several chapters are devoted to the latest technologies and advances in nanotechnology, along with practical solutions on how to design more effective nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery. This valuable resource prepares readers to develop novel drug delivery systems for the treatment of brain tumors that further promote the latest nanomedical technologies. - Addresses the progress and challenges inherent in delivering drugs across the blood brain barrier and offers strategies to maximize effectiveness - Draws upon the experience and expertise of international scientists working in the fields of drug delivery and nanomedicine - Considers the future possibilities of nanotechnology for delivering nanocarriers that better diagnose and treat brain tumors

Medicinal chemistry is both science and art. The science of medicinal chemistry offers mankind one of its best hopes for improving the quality of life. The art of medicinal chemistry continues to challenge its practitioners with the need for both intuition and experience to discover new drugs. Hence sharing the experience of drug research is uniquely beneficial to the field of medicinal chemistry. Drug research requires interdisciplinary team-work at the interface between chemistry, biology and medicine. Therefore, the topic-related series Topics in Medicinal Chemistry covers all relevant aspects of drug research, e.g. pathobiochemistry of diseases, identification and validation of (emerging) drug targets, structural biology, drugability of targets, drug design approaches, chemogenomics, synthetic chemistry including combinatorial methods, bioorganic chemistry, natural compounds, high-throughput screening, pharmacological in vitro and in vivo investigations, drug-receptor interactions on the molecular level, structure-activity relationships, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, toxicology and pharmacogenomics. In general, special volumes are edited by well known guest editors.

Direct Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery provides the reader with precise knowledge about the strategies and approaches for enhanced nose-to-brain drug delivery. It highlights the development of novel nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for targeted drug delivery to the brain microenvironments with a focus on the technological advances in the development of the novel drug delivery devices for intranasal administration, including special emphasis on brain targeting through nose. This book explores the various quantification parameters to assess the brain targeting efficiency following intranasal administration and includes an overview on the toxicity aspects of the various materials used to develop the direct nose-to-brain drug delivery vehicles and of the regulatory aspects including patents and current clinical status of the potential neurotherapeutics for the effective management of neuro-ailments. Technological advances in new drug delivery systems with diverse applications in pharmaceutical, biomedical, biomaterials, and biotechnological fields are also explained. This book is a crucial source that will assist the veteran scientists, industrial technologists, and clinical research professionals to develop new drug delivery systems and novel drug administration devices for the treatment of neuro-ailments. - Explains the targeting approaches for enhanced brain targeting following intranasal drug administration - Explores the various nanocarriers developed to date for neurotherapeutic delivery via nose-to-brain - Discusses pharmaceutical and biomedical applications after nose-to-brain delivery of therapeutic pharmaceuticals and biologicals

In an era wherein nanotechnology has sparked a huge research interest, brain drug delivery is not an exception. Aiming at fighting several central nervous system (CNS) conditions, tailored nanoparticles open new avenues to address several challenges in the fields of drug delivery and brain targeting. This book gathers contributions from experts in different, complementary fields, having in common their interest in developing new strategies for brain delivery based on nanotechnologies. The book encompasses general aspects pertaining to fundamental development, including tripartite in silico–in vitro–in vivo approaches. It also covers a diversity of nanomedicines applied in treatment and/or diagnosis and monitoring of CNS disorders. Aspects concerning their translation from the bench to clinical practice are also seamlessly discussed. This book will inspire readers to discover possible approaches to holistically delivering drugs into the brain. Edited by Carla Vitorino, Andreia Jorge and Alberto Pais, this book will appeal to anyone involved in nanomedicine, pharmaceutics, neurological and cancer therapies, drug delivery research and computational and regulatory sciences.