RESUMO
Aim: Preparation of quercetin fullerene conjugate (QFC) for nose-to-brain delivery and their in vitro and ex vivo characterizations.Methods: Carboxylated fullerene was converted into acetylated fullerene and quercetin was conjugated and physically adsorbed on acetylated fullerene.Results: The particle size and zeta potential of QFC and chitosan-coated QFC (CC-QFC) were found to be 179.2 ± 1.10, 293.4 ± 2.757, -5.28 ± 1.43 and 11.6 ± 0.4 respectively. The entrapment efficiency, loading efficiency of QFC were found to be 85.55% and 42.77%. The MTT assay revealed 80.69% SH-SY5Y cell viability at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. CC-QFC showed remarkable (89.20%) ex vivo mucoadhesive properties compared with QFC (66.67%). Further study showed no significant ciliotoxicity by CC-QFC.Conclusion: The obtained results suggested the potential of CC-QFC for treatment in Alzheimer's disease.
In our study, we developed a new method to deliver a natural substance called quercetin into the brain for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Quercetin is known for its health benefits, especially in protecting brain cells. We combined quercetin with a tiny carbon-based material called fullerene, which looks like a soccer ball, to create a new compound called quercetin fullerene conjugate (QFC). This QFC was designed to help quercetin reach the brain more effectively. To make it even better at reaching the brain, we coated QFC with a substance called chitosan. Coating it with chitosan can help to adhere it to nasal cavity for longer time for the delivery of quercetin to the brain. Importantly, our studies showed that this modified form of quercetin did not harm brain cells or the lining of the nose.Overall, our findings suggest that this new approach could be a promising way to develop treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
