Progettazione e sviluppo di sistemi di veicolazione non invasivi per neuro-farmaci

Diseases localized in the central nervous system (CNS) are of hard diagnostic and therapeutic target. The blood brain barrier (BBB) plays a fundamental role on this drawback, as it prevents most drugs to reach their site of action within the CNS. To overcome this big issue and to avoid the use of invasive methods of administration (dangerous and costly) brain drug delivery systems have been conceived. Among this, colloidal systems and nasal administration are very attractive non-invasive strategies. Embedding neuro-drugs within nanoparticulate matter can ensure their protection from peripheral degradative mechanisms, that for their cause, the drug can not reach the CNS in sufficient amount. Micro and nanoparticles are also exploited to improve the achievement of a drug to CNS by nasal administration, as alternative to the oral and parenteral routs. Through nasal route, the carriers are able to increase drug amounts in CNS compared then the drug is administrated in the free form, and, thanks to the existence of pathways for the direct transport nose-to-brain, it is possible for a drug to bypass the BBB and to rapidly reach the brain.This work has been aimed at the design, development and characterization of non-invasive delivery systems for neuro-drugs with particular attention paid to colloidal and to nose-to-brain strategies, in order to encourage the use of neuro-drugs which that is currently restricted to the treatment of a few CNS diseases.