Lipid-based Nanocarriers for Neurodegenerative Disorders: Bridging Blood-brain Barrier Biology and Translational Drug Delivery.

INTRODUCTION Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, remain difficult to treat because the Blood-brain Barrier (BBB) severely restricts therapeutic access to the central nervous system. This review evaluates BBB biology and the potential of lipid-based nanocarriers to improve brain-targeted drug delivery and facilitate clinical translation.

Methods

A structured narrative review of peer-reviewed preclinical and clinical literature published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Evidence concerning BBB structure and transport mechanisms, lipid-based nanocarrier design, physicochemical characteristics, drug-release behavior, computational modelling, therapeutic applications, and translational challenges was critically synthesized.

Results

Liposomes, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles demonstrated improved drug solubility, stability, controlled release, systemic circulation, and brain targeting. Preclinical evidence indicates enhanced brain bioavailability and therapeutic effects, including reductions in neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and disease-associated pathological processes. However, clinical translation remains constrained by formulation complexity, scalability, long-term safety, and inconsistent clinical outcomes.

Discussion

Integration of BBB transport biology with surface functionalization, receptormediated targeting, formulation engineering, and computational modelling may enable more rational nanocarrier development. Nevertheless, standardized characterization, reproducible manufacturing, comprehensive safety evaluation, and stronger clinical validation are required to bridge the gap between promising preclinical findings and therapeutic implementation.

Conclusion

Lipid-based nanocarriers represent promising platforms for overcoming biological and pharmacokinetic barriers in neurodegenerative disorders. Further optimization and rigorous translational validation are essential to establish their safety, reproducibility, and clinical effectiveness.