In: Nursing
A number of drugs with different properties are shown below. Which of these drugs are most likely to cross the blood-brain barrier? (select all that apply)
- High molecular weight drug
- Low molecular weight drug
- Water-soluble drug
- Fat-soluble drug
- Nonpolar drug
- Small drug
- Polar drug
The blood brain barrier is a highly selective semipermeable border of endothelial cells that prevents solutes in the circulating blood from non selectively crossing into the extracellular fluid of the central nervous system where neurons reside.
All except high molecule and water soluble drugs can cross the Blood brain barrier.
The blood brain barrier is automatically and functionally distinct from the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier at the choroid plexus. Certain small molecular drug (low molecule drugs) may cross the blood brain barrier via lipid mediated free diffusion, providing the drug ha s a molecular weight <400 da and form <8 hydrogen bonds.
Fat soluble substances dissolve in the cell membrane and cross the barrier by passive diffusion.
Water soluble substances have difficulty in getting through.
Nonpolar agents are lipophilic,they can cross the blood brain barrier by diffusing through the lipid membranes of the endothelial cells.
Polar drugs charged structure makes them aversive to the lipids in the membrane of the endothelial cells .Its difficult feo them to diffusion through the tight junctions.
High molecule drugs and water soluble drugs can not cross the blood brain barrier.