Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have come up with a simple way of using ultrasound to release drugs from special nanoparticles delivered into the brain. The technology would allow for targeted drug delivery, making sure the medication is delivered where the ultrasound beam is focused while preventing its from influencing the rest of the body.
The biodegradable plastic nanoparticles are made of a hydrophilic exterior, to travel through the body, and a hydrophobic interior, to contain propofol, a commonly used small molecule anesthetic tried in this study.
