Biopharma Insights Thorough preclinical testing of drugs that act in the central nervous system often involves assessing and comparing drug biodistribution in association with specific routes of administration. Here, three commonly used methods of systemic delivery (intravenous, intraperitoneal, and oral) as well as a method for local delivery (convection-enhanced delivery) are demonstrated in mice.
Total time
~2-3 hours per mouse (depending on imaging endpoints)
Steps
1
Understand CNS drug delivery routes and rationales
Review the principles of systemic versus local drug administration for CNS therapeutics and the importance of preclinical biodistribution assessment.
▶ 00:31
2
Perform intravenous tail vein injection
Execute tail vein cannulation and drug injection technique in mice, demonstrating proper restraint and vascular access for systemic delivery.
▶ 01:08
3
Administer intraperitoneal injection
Perform IP injection procedure for systemic drug delivery via peritoneal cavity, including proper needle insertion and dosing technique.
▶ 02:49
4
Deliver drug via oral gavage
Execute oral gavage technique using feeding tube for non-invasive systemic drug administration in conscious mice.
▶ 04:01
5
Perform acute convection-enhanced delivery
Conduct stereotaxic brain surgery and convection-enhanced delivery via microinfusion pump for direct local CNS drug administration.
▶ 05:21
6
Acquire in vivo biodistribution imaging
Use imaging modality to visualize and quantify drug distribution across body and brain tissue post-administration.
▶ 09:40
7
Interpret and compare representative results
Analyze biodistribution patterns across delivery routes and discuss relative advantages for CNS drug targeting.
▶ 10:07