Drug Delivery Targeting Neuroinflammation to Treat Brain Diseases.

Abstract

Inflammation within the brain is a hallmark of a wide range of brain diseases. The complex role of inflammatory processes in these conditions suggests that neuroinflammation could be a valuable therapeutic target. While several promising anti-inflammatory agents have been identified, their clinical application in brain diseases is often hampered by the inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach therapeutically effective concentrations at the pathological sites. This limitation highlights the urgent need for effective BBB-penetrating drug delivery systems designed to target brain inflammation. This review critically examines the recent advances over the past five years in drug delivery strategies aimed at mitigating brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease and ischemic stroke─two of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Additionally, we address the key challenges in this field, offering insights into future directions for targeting neuroinflammation in the treatment of brain diseases.