Soon, nose drops to treat brain cancer
September 23rd, 2010 - 1:31 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Sept 23 (ANI): Scientists have reported the development and testing of a drug that could treat brain cancer, and can be given as nose drops rather than an injection.
The new form of methotrexate promises to be more effective in cancer treatment unlike conventional methods wherein anticancer drugs have difficulty reaching the brain, they said.
This happens due to a so-called blood-brain barrier (a protective layer of cells surrounding the brain) prevents medication in the blood from entering the brain.However, Tomotaka Shingaki and colleagues said that new evidence indicates that some drugs administered through the nose, either as nose drops or nasal spray, can bypass this barrier and travel directly into the brain. Among them are drugs for migraine headaches.
When tested on lab rats having brain cancer, the nose drop drug reduced the weight of tumors by almost one-third, the scientists said.
“The strategy to utilize the nose-brain direct transport can be applicable to a new therapeutic system not only for brain tumors but also for other central nervous system disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases,” the article noted.
The report appears in ACS’ Molecular Pharmaceutics, a bi-monthly journal. (ANI)
- Sniff of local anesthetic may replace dentist's needle - May 14, 2010
- Trojan Horse trick to deliver drugs into brains of stroke patients - Nov 11, 2010
- Erectile dysfunction drug could enhance delivery of herceptin to brain tumours - May 08, 2010
- Delivering drugs directly to brain may help Alzheimer's sufferers - Mar 21, 2011
- New method to cleanse brain of Alzheimer's plaques developed - Dec 10, 2010
- Scientists deliver Alzheimer's drug directly into brain - Mar 21, 2011
- Sniffing local anaesthetic could replace needle at dentist's - May 14, 2010
- Novel study offers hope for new class of Alzheimer's drugs - Oct 19, 2010
- Key protein controlling blood vessel growth in mice's brain identified - Nov 12, 2010
- Reduced levels of important neurotransmitter linked to multiple sclerosis - Feb 13, 2011
- Mexico ready for trials of vaccine against heroin - Feb 25, 2012
- New drug limits brain damage in stroke - Jul 27, 2012
- Genes behind breast cancer's spread to the brain identified - May 07, 2009
- Soft drink could boost effects of anti-cancer drug - Oct 14, 2010
- Lemon-lime soft drink could boost oral cancer treatment: Study - Nov 11, 2010
Tags: acs, anticancer drugs, blood brain barrier, brain cancer, brain tumors, cancer treatment, central nervous system, central nervous system disorders, conventional methods, lab rats, methotrexate, migraine, migraine headaches, molecular pharmaceutics, nasal spray, nervous system disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, new evidence, nose drop, therapeutic system