Supramolecular assemblies for the active drug targeting to the brain

This review focuses on targeted drug delivery using supramolecular assemblies for the treatment of cerebral diseases. To enable effective drug transport, colloidal systems have to both evade the reticuloendothelial system and circumvent the drug efflux mechanism. Additionally, they have to accumulate in high concentrations in desired sites, thus increasing the therapeutic index of drugs and reducing potential toxic side effects. In order to enhance their therapeutic efficiency, nanocarriers have been conjugated to biomolecules recognizing specific or up-regulated receptors and antigens located on the membrane of targeted cells. This strategy known as active targeting showed promising results for both targeting and transport across physiological barriers such as the blood brain barrier.