Smart Drug Delivery System can Help Treat Neurological Disorders

A smart drug delivery system that can reduce inflammation can be used to treat a range of neurological disorders like spinal cord injuries.

Smart drug delivery system that can reduce inflammation in damaged nervous tissues and help treat spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders have been developed by a Rutgers-led team.

The study is published in the journal //Advanced Materials.

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‘A smart drug delivery system that delivers the anti-inflammatory drug methylprednisolone can be used to reduce inflammation in damaged nervous tissues in spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders. The delivery system can also be used to treat other diseases that involve inflammation.’
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The system protects nerve fibers (axons) that connect nerve cells in injured neural tissues as it uses extremely thin biomaterials.

Inflammation is a major factor when recovering from central nervous system injuries and diseases. Suppressing the immune system during treatment can lead to side effects and boost the risk of infection.

"A major goal is to suppress neuroinflammation and restore a healthy micro-environment at sites of neurological disorders," said senior author KiBum Lee.

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"Our system took four years to develop and has shown enormous potential for smart drug delivery for better treatment of neurological disorders."

The drug delivery system consists of sugar polymers, ultrathin nanomaterials and neural proteins. The system releases an anti-inflammatory molecule called methylprednisolone. This molecule creates a favorable microenvironment to promote tissue repair and recovery after neurological injury.

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The research group aims to improve the treatment of neurological disorders by developing multifunctional and reliable drug delivery systems.

The team believes that the drug delivery system can be used to treat other diseases which involves inflammation such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and cancer.

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Source-Medindia