14 - Dendrimers as carriers for active targeting of brain tumors

Abstract

Different types of therapeutic approaches have been used to overcome the limitations of existing drugs and to provide effective brain delivery. Nanoformulations significantly improve brain delivery by overcoming biological barriers and protecting the drug from efflux, to transport ideal drug concentrations in the brain tissues. Out of the nanocarrier systems, dendrimers are one of the most extensively used. Dendrimers have various attributes, including physicochemical features, composition, and surface functionality that may be modified for active targeting, all of which makes them an essential tool for treating brain tumors. With the ability to deliver molecular payloads to tumor locations and the effectiveness of crossing the blood-brain barrier and penetration to the brain, dendrimers hold much promise for treating brain tumors. This review sheds light on the applications of dendrimer-based drug delivery systems for effective targeting of brain tumors.