Drug-Induced Mitochondrial Disruption in the Blood-Brain Barrier Cells: Overlooked Player in Drug Safety Evaluation.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is based on the unique pattern of the microvasculature of the central nervous system (CNS), which controls the transport of molecules between the CNS and the blood. The blood-brain barrier is mainly composed of endothelial cells, pericytes, and basement membrane, as well as the astrocytes and immune cells as perivascular macrophages and microglial cells. The dysfunction of this barrier can cause serious neuronal disorders due to the transport of hazardous molecules and immune cells to the CNS. Mitochondria plays a major role in cellular homeostasis in terms of health and disease. This review evaluated the published data about the effect of the drugs on the cells of BBB. Only seven articles were found that considered the effect of drugs on the barrier endothelial cells and mitochondria via different assays. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the impact of used medications on BBB cell bioenergetics. Also, the effect of the newly studied pharmaceutical agents on the BBB bioenergetics should be included within their safety profile studies.