Mohali: Researchers from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed a groundbreaking method to treat Central Nervous System Tuberculosis (CNS-TB) by overcoming the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a major obstacle in delivering effective TB drugs to the brain. CNS-TB, one of the deadliest forms of tuberculosis, often leads to severe complications or death due to the difficulty of getting drugs across the BBB, which prevents most medicines from entering the brain.
The innovative solution involves using tiny particles made of chitosan, a biocompatible and biodegradable material, to deliver TB drugs like isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) directly to the brain through the nasal route. This method bypasses the BBB by utilizing the olfactory and trigeminal nerve pathways, significantly increasing the bioavailability of the drugs at the infection site.
Led by scientists Rahul Kumar Verma and team, the approach relies on creating nano-aggregates—clusters of nanoparticles that can carry the drugs and adhere to the nasal mucosa due to chitosan’s mucoadhesive properties. These nano-aggregates prolong the drug’s presence in the nasal cavity, enhancing its absorption and effectiveness.
The treatment was tested on mice infected with TB, showing a remarkable reduction in bacterial levels in the brain—up to 1,000 times lower compared to untreated mice. The new method also reduced inflammation associated with CNS-TB, showing promise for faster recovery.
This discovery, published in the journal *Nanoscale*, is the first to demonstrate the successful delivery of TB drugs directly to the brain via the nasal route. The technology could revolutionize treatment not only for brain TB but also for other brain-related conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, brain tumors, and epilepsy, by enabling efficient drug delivery across the BBB.
