Oral Delivery Systems for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurological Disorders: Recent Advances, Challenges and Future Perspectives

Author

Kumaravel. D, P. Ranjitha, Dr. J. Karthi, Dr. S. Swarnalatha


Abstract

 Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and other neurodegenerative conditions continue to create a major burden on patients, families and healthcare systems. Although several medicines are available, delivering an effective amount of a drug to the brain remains difficult. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) provides essential protection to the brain, but at the same time it restricts the entry of many therapeutic molecules. Oral administration is attractive because it is convenient, non-invasive and generally well accepted by patients. However, conventional tablets and capsules may be affected by poor solubility, gastrointestinal degradation, first-pass metabolism and limited distribution to the brain.

Recent developments in pharmaceutical nanotechnology have opened new possibilities for improving oral drug delivery. Nanoparticles, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, dendrimers and other lipid-based systems can protect drugs from degradation, improve solubility and modify release. Some formulations are also being designed to interact with biological transport pathways and improve exposure to the central nervous system. This review discusses the importance of oral delivery in neurological disorders, the major barriers to brain delivery, important advanced oral delivery systems, their mechanisms, benefits and limitations, and their possible applications in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions. Although these approaches are promising, their successful translation will depend on safety, reproducibility, scalability and convincing clinical evidence.


Keywords

Oral drug delivery, Alzheimer’s disease, neurological disorders, blood–brain barrier, nanoparticles, liposomes, nanocarriers, brain targeting.



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