Dendrimers as Effective Carriers for the Treatment of Brain Tumor

The tumor microenvironment impedes delivery of conventional chemotherapeutic agents at effective concentrations to tumor cells; hence the treatment lacks specificity and produces serious systemic toxicity. Thus, the struggle to develop an effective treatment against tumors is a primary role of researchers in improving the resulting morbidity and mortality caused by this fatal disease. Although the prevalence of brain tumors is low, they are considered to be the most lethal form of cancer. Delivery of chemotherapeutic agents across the tight junctions of the blood–brain barrier in the treatment of brain tumor is a great challenge, along with its targeting abilities and effectiveness. The branched molecular structure of PAMAM, PPL, and PPI dendrimers with or without targeting ligands has created great potential for nanotechnology to facilitate the transportation of chemotherapeutic agents across the BBB for the effective treatment of brain tumors.