Drug Transport and Absorption on a Capillary Network

Abstract

Drug delivery to the brain is more difficult than other organs due to the presence of the blood-brain-barrier. One potential method to mitigate this difficulty is to load drug molecules into artificial carriers called liposomes, and apply focused ultrasound to the target area. The ultrasound waves cause the liposomes to release their contents, and may also increase permeability of the blood-brain-barrier. We present a compartmental model of capillary networks using a system of ordinary differential equations. Applying this model to the delivery of L-dopa (used to treat Parkinson\u27s disease) and Doxorubicin (used in cancer chemotherapy), we search for an ultrasound schedule which optimally delivers medicine to a specific target area while minimizing potential side-effects. By delivering medication to only where it is needed, overall health can be significantly improved. Additionally, this type of model could be adapted to individual patients\u27 unique anatomies, further improving quality of care