In Vitro and In Vivo Comparison of Curcumin-Encapsulated Chitosan-Coated Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles and Curcumin/Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes Administered Intranasally as Therapeutic Strategies for Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted by Adam Awdish on
Innovative Grade US Origin Mouse C57BL6 Plasma from Innovative Research was used in the following study:
Li Zhang, Shili Yang, Ling Rong Wong, Hui Xie, and Paul Chi-Lui Ho
Molecular Pharmaceutics
October 21, 2020
In 2018, the World Alzheimer Report stated that there were about 50 million Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients worldwide, and they further estimated that the number of AD patients would reach 100 million by 2050. Some of the primary characteristics of AD are memory loss, cognitive decline, and confusion. Although the exact mechanisms of how AD works currently are not fully understood, evidence suggests that the brain of AD patients suffers from oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Thus, therapeutics with antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory effects could be applicable in symptom alleviation or even treatment of AD.
Curcumin (CUR) is a natural polyphenolic compound found in the Indian spice turmeric Curcuma longa Linn. It boasts natural therapeutic pharmacological effects including antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory effects, making it a potential treatment of AD and some cancers. Unfortunately, CUR has poor aqueous solubility and high instability under physiological conditions, causing low bioavailability and poor tissue distribution via typical oral administration. Further, the rapid metabolism and elimination of CUR also contributes to its low oral bioavailability and poor tissue distribution, further complicating its use for therapeutic application. Besides the concerns on its physiochemical properties that could affect the biopharmaceutical performance, the blood−brain barrier (BBB) may further restrict the delivery of CUR to the brain and the rest of the central nervous system (CNS).
When compared to oral administration, intranasal administration could be a more effective alternative for the delivery of drugs/therapeutic cargoes to the brain or CNS. The intranasal route can avoid hepatic first-pass and gastrointestinal metabolisms, helping to reduce the chance of the drug being broken down before it reaches its target destination. Further, the intranasal route can bypass the BBB, reducing distribution of the drug to non-targeted areas when treating CNS diseases.
Researchers in this study hypothesized that the distribution of CUR to the brain could be improved through intranasal delivery. They created CUR-encapsulated chitosan-coated poly nanoparticles and CUR/HP-β-CD inclusion complexes and compared them through intranasal administration. Their findings suggested that both formulations reduced CUR cytotoxicity and had comparable antioxidant effects. Analysis of their anti-inflammatory effects showed that CUR/HP-β-CD inclusion complexes are better suited than CUR-encapsulated chitosan-coated poly nanoparticles for the intranasal delivery of drugs used to treat AD or CNS diseases.
Related products available from Innovative Research also include:
Innovative Grade US Origin Mouse C57BL6 Complement Serum