Frontiers in therapeutic interventions for epilepsy: Nanocarriers as a pivotal catalyst in the synergistic combination of conventional antiepileptics and herbal drugs

Abstract

Epilepsy, a prevalent and frequently incapacitating neurological disease affecting over 50 million people worldwide, exhibits substantial treatment challenges, particularly in one-third of patients who are resistant to traditional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). This review explores combinational approaches to enhance epilepsy therapy by combining AEDs with herbal medicines and utilizing nanotechnology to improve drug delivery. Combining drugs within a single nanoformulations, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanocrystals, nanostructured lipid carriers, smart thermosetting hydrogels and spanlastics which have the potential to enhance drug targeting, prolong release, and minimize adverse effects. This article talks about the advantageous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of nanoformulations from multiple studies including how they can effectively target the brain. It also provides several examples of notable advancements in utilizing nanotechnology for epilepsy treatment. Furthermore, it explores the complex pathways that contribute to drug resistance in epilepsy, highlighting the insistent challenges in attaining effective therapy. Nanocarrier-based delivery systems are proposed as a plausible way to overcome the blood-brain barrier and other biological challenges, providing enhanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Although polypharmacy has historically been employed for drug-resistant epilepsy, the absence of thorough clinical studies highlights the pressing necessity for rigorous research to validate these approaches. Conclusively, the review proposes a comprehensive approach that combines AEDs with herbal drugs using novel nanocarriers to boost the effectiveness of treatment and the results for patients with Drug-resistant epilepsy.