Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon?
Epilepsy is a chronic and complex condition and is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Pharmacological therapy has been, and is likely to remain, the main treatment approach for this disease. Although a large number of new antiseizure drugs (ASD...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceutics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/2/306 |
| _version_ | 1827756021090615296 |
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| author | Mariana Matias Adriana O. Santos Samuel Silvestre Gilberto Alves |
| author_facet | Mariana Matias Adriana O. Santos Samuel Silvestre Gilberto Alves |
| author_sort | Mariana Matias |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Epilepsy is a chronic and complex condition and is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Pharmacological therapy has been, and is likely to remain, the main treatment approach for this disease. Although a large number of new antiseizure drugs (ASDs) has been introduced into the market in the last few years, many patients suffer from uncontrolled seizures, demanding the development of more effective therapies. Nanomedicines have emerged as a promising approach to deliver drugs to the brain, potentiating their therapeutic index. Moreover, nanomedicine has applied the knowledge of nanoscience, not only in disease treatment but also in prevention and diagnosis. In the current review, the general features and therapeutic management of epilepsy will be addressed, as well as the main barriers to overcome to obtain better antiseizure therapies. Furthermore, the role of nanomedicines as a valuable tool to selectively deliver drugs will be discussed, considering the ability of nanocarriers to deal with the less favourable physical-chemical properties of some ASDs, enhance their brain penetration, reduce the adverse effects, and circumvent the concerning drug resistance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:18:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c47141fb45554460a73ec033c1b0ccc6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4923 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:18:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c47141fb45554460a73ec033c1b0ccc62023-11-16T22:38:08ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232023-01-0115230610.3390/pharmaceutics15020306Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon?Mariana Matias0Adriana O. Santos1Samuel Silvestre2Gilberto Alves3CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, PortugalCICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, PortugalCICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, PortugalCICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, PortugalEpilepsy is a chronic and complex condition and is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Pharmacological therapy has been, and is likely to remain, the main treatment approach for this disease. Although a large number of new antiseizure drugs (ASDs) has been introduced into the market in the last few years, many patients suffer from uncontrolled seizures, demanding the development of more effective therapies. Nanomedicines have emerged as a promising approach to deliver drugs to the brain, potentiating their therapeutic index. Moreover, nanomedicine has applied the knowledge of nanoscience, not only in disease treatment but also in prevention and diagnosis. In the current review, the general features and therapeutic management of epilepsy will be addressed, as well as the main barriers to overcome to obtain better antiseizure therapies. Furthermore, the role of nanomedicines as a valuable tool to selectively deliver drugs will be discussed, considering the ability of nanocarriers to deal with the less favourable physical-chemical properties of some ASDs, enhance their brain penetration, reduce the adverse effects, and circumvent the concerning drug resistance.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/2/306antiseizure drugsepilepsylipid-based nanosystemspolymeric nanoparticlesnanomedicinesnanotechnology |
| spellingShingle | Mariana Matias Adriana O. Santos Samuel Silvestre Gilberto Alves Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? Pharmaceutics antiseizure drugs epilepsy lipid-based nanosystems polymeric nanoparticles nanomedicines nanotechnology |
| title | Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? |
| title_full | Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? |
| title_fullStr | Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? |
| title_short | Fighting Epilepsy with Nanomedicines—Is This the Right Weapon? |
| title_sort | fighting epilepsy with nanomedicines is this the right weapon |
| topic | antiseizure drugs epilepsy lipid-based nanosystems polymeric nanoparticles nanomedicines nanotechnology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/15/2/306 |
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