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Lei K, Zhou L, Dan M, Yang F, Jian T, Xin J, Yu Z, Wang Y. Trojan Horse Delivery Strategies of Natural Medicine Monomers: Challenges and Limitations in Improving Brain Targeting. Pharmaceutics 2025; 17:280. [PMID: 40142943 PMCID: PMC11945504 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics17030280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2025] [Revised: 02/13/2025] [Accepted: 02/19/2025] [Indexed: 03/28/2025] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, significantly impact patients' quality of life and impose substantial economic burdens on society. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the effective delivery of most therapeutic drugs, especially natural products, despite their potential therapeutic effects. The Trojan Horse strategy, using nanotechnology to disguise drugs as "cargo", enables them to bypass the BBB, enhancing targeting and therapeutic efficacy. This review explores the applications of natural products in the treatment of CNS diseases, discusses the challenges posed by the BBB, and analyzes the advantages and limitations of the Trojan Horse strategy. Despite the existing technical challenges, future research is expected to enhance the application of natural drugs in CNS treatment by integrating nanotechnology, improving delivery mechanisms, and optimizing targeting characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelu Lei
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Lanyu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China;
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Min Dan
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Fei Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Tiantian Jian
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Juan Xin
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Zhigang Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Ya’an People’s Hospital-West China Ya’an Hospital, Sichuan University, Ya’an 625000, China; (K.L.); (M.D.); (F.Y.); (T.J.); (J.X.)
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