International journal of pharmaceuticsApr 2, 2025

Self-Assembled Systems for Delivering Temozolomide from the Nose to the Brain in Brain Tumor Treatment

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Apr 3, 2026

Abstract

Self-assembled nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems may improve the therapeutic index of temozolomide for glioblastoma treatment.

Intranasal administration of nanocarriers could bypass the blood-brain barrier, enhancing drug bioavailability in the central nervous system.
Self-assembled systems can be customized for optimal particle size, surface charge, and release profiles to improve drug delivery.
Recent advancements in various nanocarrier types may enhance the stability and retention of temozolomide in the brain.
Nanocarrier-based strategies are associated with minimized systemic toxicity, potentially improving treatment outcomes for glioblastoma.
Molecular pathways related to oxidative stress may play a role in glioblastoma progression and resistance to temozolomide.

Simplified

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive and highly invasive primary brain tumor with poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies. The therapeutic efficacy of existing treatments is significantly hampered by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), tumor heterogeneity, and intrinsic drug resistance mechanisms. Temozolomide (TMZ), the standard chemotherapeutic agent for GBM, suffers from low bioavailability, rapid systemic clearance, and enzymatic degradation, limiting its clinical success. This review highlights the potential of self-assembled nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for enhancing the therapeutic index of TMZ through intranasal administration, which provides a direct and non-invasive route to the brain, circumventing the BBB and improving central nervous system (CNS) drug bioavailability. Self-assembled systems are highly customizable, allowing for precise control over particle size, surface charge, and release profiles, which can be tailored to improve the penetration and retention of TMZ in the brain. We comprehensively discuss recent advancements in polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, niosomes, and solid lipid nanoparticles, emphasizing their physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and mechanisms of targeted drug release. Additionally, we explore molecular and oxidative stress-related pathways contributing to GBM progression and TMZ resistance. Emerging research suggests that nanocarrier-based intranasal delivery of TMZ enhances drug stability, prolongs brain retention time, and minimizes systemic toxicity, offering a promising avenue for improving GBM treatment outcomes.

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Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Self-Assembled Systems for Delivering Temozolomide from the Nose to the Brain in Brain Tumor Treatment

Abstract

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