A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing

Neuropharmacology faces challenges due to the intricate nervous system, diverse neurological disorders, and existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which hinder the development of effective treatments. Although the primary function of the BBB is to expel toxins and pathogens, this structure also...

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Main Authors: Ureña-Vacas Isabel, Aznar de la Riera M. Belén, Serrano Dolores R, González-Burgos Elena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Current Research in Biotechnology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590262824000613
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author Ureña-Vacas Isabel
Aznar de la Riera M. Belén
Serrano Dolores R
González-Burgos Elena
author_facet Ureña-Vacas Isabel
Aznar de la Riera M. Belén
Serrano Dolores R
González-Burgos Elena
author_sort Ureña-Vacas Isabel
collection DOAJ
description Neuropharmacology faces challenges due to the intricate nervous system, diverse neurological disorders, and existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which hinder the development of effective treatments. Although the primary function of the BBB is to expel toxins and pathogens, this structure also prevents optimal drug delivery. Natural products, with their chemical diversity and sustainability, have long been recognized as potential neuroprotective compounds, making BBB permeability studies mandatory. Over the last ten years, biotechnological advances in two-dimensional in vitro BBB models (monoculture and co-culture), in vivo imaging techniques, and pharmacokinetic modeling have contributed to expanding our current knowledge. In this study, we have reviewed the BBB crossing of natural products such as different terpenoids, polyphenolic compounds, and alkaloids. The findings, obtained through in vitro, in vivo, and silico methods, revealed moderate to high permeability for many of these natural products. However, other compounds showed not to be able to reach the brain. To better understand the behavior of natural products in humans and improve their ability to pass across the blood-brainier, the development of new three-dimensional and dynamic models of the BBB, new nanosystems complexes for encapsulation or in-depth studies of the transport mechanism are current and future lines of research.
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spelling doaj-art-65b90dffcad44d499ae9a8b3917df7fb2025-08-20T02:30:30ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Biotechnology2590-26282024-01-01810023510.1016/j.crbiot.2024.100235A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossingUreña-Vacas Isabel0Aznar de la Riera M. Belén1Serrano Dolores R2González-Burgos Elena3Department of Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, SpainHospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Avda. Valdecilla, s/n, 39008 Santander (Cantabria), SpainPharmaceutics and Food Technology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Farmacia Industrial, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; Corresponding author.Neuropharmacology faces challenges due to the intricate nervous system, diverse neurological disorders, and existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which hinder the development of effective treatments. Although the primary function of the BBB is to expel toxins and pathogens, this structure also prevents optimal drug delivery. Natural products, with their chemical diversity and sustainability, have long been recognized as potential neuroprotective compounds, making BBB permeability studies mandatory. Over the last ten years, biotechnological advances in two-dimensional in vitro BBB models (monoculture and co-culture), in vivo imaging techniques, and pharmacokinetic modeling have contributed to expanding our current knowledge. In this study, we have reviewed the BBB crossing of natural products such as different terpenoids, polyphenolic compounds, and alkaloids. The findings, obtained through in vitro, in vivo, and silico methods, revealed moderate to high permeability for many of these natural products. However, other compounds showed not to be able to reach the brain. To better understand the behavior of natural products in humans and improve their ability to pass across the blood-brainier, the development of new three-dimensional and dynamic models of the BBB, new nanosystems complexes for encapsulation or in-depth studies of the transport mechanism are current and future lines of research.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590262824000613Blood-brain barrierNatural productsIn vitroIn vivoIn silico
spellingShingle Ureña-Vacas Isabel
Aznar de la Riera M. Belén
Serrano Dolores R
González-Burgos Elena
A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
Current Research in Biotechnology
Blood-brain barrier
Natural products
In vitro
In vivo
In silico
title A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
title_full A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
title_fullStr A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
title_full_unstemmed A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
title_short A new frontier in neuropharmacology: Recent progress in natural products research for blood–brain barrier crossing
title_sort new frontier in neuropharmacology recent progress in natural products research for blood brain barrier crossing
topic Blood-brain barrier
Natural products
In vitro
In vivo
In silico
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590262824000613
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