Extensive research has tackled the complexities of human brain cerebrovascular tissue to address the challenges of drug development for brain-related diseases. Namely, for effective treatment of central nervous systems disorders like dementia, epilepsy, and brain tumors, achieving high drug concentrations at the target site is crucial. However, the blood-brain barrier poses a formidable obstacle. Recent studies reveal that many promising drugs intended for the treatment of brain diseases, struggle to breach the blood-brain barrier, hindering therapeutic effectiveness. Moreover, traditional approaches of synthesizing highly lipophilic or small water-soluble drugs have their limitations. To address these issues, pharmaceutical technology has shifted towards non-invasive methos, such as nanotechnology-based drug carriers. These nano-systems, with their unique physical-chemical properties, possess the potential in overcoming drug delivery barriers. Among them, lipid-based nano-systems, particularly liposomes and nanostructured lipid carriers, have gained attention due to their biocompatibility and controlled drug release, enhancing the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution as well as increasing drug bioavailability in the central nervous system. However, despite their advantages, safety concerns and a lack of comprehensive studies persist. This research aims to compare different lipid nano-systems’ behavior, including their physical-chemical properties and interaction with human cerebral microvessel endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3) and human neuroblastoma clonal cell line (SH-SY5Y), shedding light on their potential for safe and effective drug delivery to the brain.

Ljubica Mihailova works as Assistant Professor at the Institute of Pharmaceutical technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Her expertise is in the field of nanotechnology, working on design, development and characterization of modern drug delivery systems. She defended her doctoral thesis in February 2023 under the title: Design, formulation, characterization and in vivo efficacy studies of lipid nanosystems loaded with Cannabis sativa extract for potential treatment of epilepsy. She completed two mobility stays in 2019 and 2022 at the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Graz-Austria through the CEEPUS CEKA PharmTech network under the supervision of Prof. Andreas Zimmer. In her portfolio there are several publications and scientific studies as well as innovative projects including the usage of novel biosystems in solving challenging issues in different areas of our everyday life. The collaboration with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as well as Joint Research Center at the European Commission stand out as most significant international projects.