ABSTRACT
The delivery of a medicinal agent to the brain in order to diagnose, treat, and prevent brain disease is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Several methods of administration of bioactive agents to the brain have been developed over the years. However, they have been reported to be unsafe, expensive, and ineffective. Nano-based drug delivery systems that can permeate the BBB have been reported to be effective, safe with reduced side effects, and are suggested to be potential carriers for the delivery of bioactive to the brain. The physicochemical properties of the carriers play a crucial role in the brain uptake of the carriers and their interaction with the brain cells. This chapter provides a detailed information of an overview of nano-based carriers reported for the delivery of drugs to the brain resulting in enhanced therapeutic effects, their mechanisms, and biological efficacy (in vitro and in vivo). Some of the carriers this chapter will be focused on are inorganic nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, polymer-based nanoparticles, nano-gels, nanoliposomes, nanoemulsions, quantum dots, micelles, dendrimers, exosomes, and polymersome.
