Nasal sprays can be formulated to deliver drugs for both systemic and local effects, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. They are often a popular method of administration for peptides because they can be more convenient than injection and offer improved bioavailability, onset, and targeted delivery. Recently, several peptides have been successfully administered nasally, including BPC-157 which was shown to reduce brain swelling and inflammation in rats with superior sagittal thrombosis [13]. In addition, some peptides can be delivered directly to the brain using permeation enhancers and mucoadhesives.
The intranasal route can also be used to administer antibodies, hormones, and neurotransmitters that are not soluble in water. Many clinical peptides have been successfully developed using this method of administration, with insulin, OT, and hypocretin-1 having completed Phase IV clinical trials largely due to this route of administration.
Scientists have found that peptides can be delivered to the brain by using the olfactory and trigeminal nerves to reach the CNS. This method of N-to-B delivery can be very effective for targeting the CNS and minimizing systemic exposure, and it can utilize the relatively unmodified blood-brain barrier (BBB) that is present at the olfactory and trigeminal mucosa.
Researchers have developed a new peptide that can be delivered through the nose to augment a natural mechanism in the brain that helps prevent seizures and protects neurons in Alzheimer’s disease models. The peptide they developed is called A1R-CT, and it inhibits neurabin to help tamp down the excess electrical activity that disrupts normal brain function and causes seizures. The peptide was sprayed into the nasal cavity of mice and found to be just as effective as a traditional seizure drug in preventing the debilitating seizures and protecting the neurons. peptide nasal sprays