Novel liposomal nanoparticle that has been engineered to be particularly useful for the delivery of compounds to cells found in the peripheral nervous system, and to endothelial cells that form the blood brain barrier. These nanoparticles are intended to be useful for the delivery of compounds suitable for therapeutic purposes and imaging contrast agents that may not otherwise gain access to neuronal axons, or glial cells regions of the brain. Particularly advantageous for the purpose of targeting neural cells, endothelial cells of the blood vessels and epithelial cells of the choroid plexus that serve the brain is the inclusion, in the nanoparticles of cholesterol that surprisingly increases the affinity of the nanoparticles for such as Schwann cells, glial cells, and the like. Image contrast agents, such as those suitable for use in MRI techniques may also be delivered to neural cells, including of the peripheral nervous system. These advantageous liposomal nanoparticles at least comprise a phospholipid, a non-ionic surfactant, and cholesterol (or a derivative thereof).
