Chapter 13 - Advanced drug delivery systems to treat Huntington’s disease: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a type of neurodegenerative disease which forms deterioration of the brain cells in the central nervous system. Some of the synthetic drugs that are used for the treatment of HD include tetrabenazine, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and antipsychotics. However, these drugs cannot produce complete relief against the cognitive, psychotic, and behavioral dysfunctions associated with HD. In addition to this, long-term use of these drugs may produce various adverse drug reactions or adverse drug events. To overcome these challenges many herbal bioactives have been explored which showed good effects in preclinical trials and attenuated the symptoms of HD. However, due to limited drug solubility and permeability to reach the target site, synthetic drugs and bioactives have not been able to reach the stage of clinical exploration. In recent years, the paradigm of research has been shifted towards the development of advanced drug delivery systems and various nanoformulations that can increase their bioavailability and permeability through the blood-brain barrier. The present chapter covers the pathophysiology of various biomarkers, pharmacological management of HD, challenges associated with conventional delivery systems and the need for an advanced delivery system (ADDS), various ADDS reported to treat HD, and their potential neuroprotective effects.