Neurological disorders and spinal injuries are quite challenging to treat especially because the treatments available usually cause other problems such as nerve damage and inflammation. Most of those problems are usually caused by the drug delivery system used. However, there is hope of a better way of treating neurological conditions thanks to a newly developed drug delivery system.
Scientists involved in the research came up with a new system that leverages very thin biomaterials in the body. It also avoids damaging the nerve fibers that link to nerve cells. The data from the research was published in the Advanced Materials journal. Inflammation is one of the major recovery challenges especially in patients recovering from brain injury.
Some existing treatments have demonstrated huge benefits as treatments for spinal cord injuries, neurological disorder, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and others. However, suppressing the immune system to overcome inflammation leaves the body exposed to infections.
“A major goal is to suppress neuroinflammation and restore a healthy micro-environment at sites of neurological disorders,”s stated KiBum Lee, a senior author in the study and a Chemistry and Chemical Biology professor at the Rutgers University.
The mechanism that allows the new drug delivery system superior
The new drug delivery system contains neural proteins, sugar polymers, and thin nanomaterials. The mechanism through which the system works involves the release of an anti-inflammatory molecule called methylprednisolone. The release of the molecule creates an environment that facilitates recovery and tissue repair in patients that have suffered neurological injury. The researchers hope that the new drug delivery system’s efficient approach will help provide a better approach to treating neurological disorders.
The researchers also believe that the new drug delivery system may also prove to be quite useful for treating other diseases and not just neurological disorders or brain injuries. For example, there is a list of other illnesses such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases are usually associated with inflammation. If the new drug delivery system is applied to these illnesses, then perhaps it can deliver better therapeutic outcomes. It also means that the system might end up helping more patients in the long-run.
