Evaluating potential of curcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles in aluminium induced behavioural, biochemical and histopathological alterations in mice brain

Aluminium, a well established neurotoxicant, is reported to be involved in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) due to its easy admittance and accumulation in central nervous system (CNS). Simultaneous curcumin treatment during the induction of neurotoxicity by AlCl3 is reported to provide protection. However, the therapeutic potential of curcumin in terms of reversing the neuronal damage once induced is limited due to its compromised bioavailability (BA). We prepared solid lipid nanoparticles of curcumin (C-SLNs) with enhanced BA (32–155 times) and investigated its therapeutic role in alleviating behavioural, biochemical and histochemical changes upon oral administration (100 mg/kg) of AlCl3 in male Lacca mice. Adverse effects of AlCl3 were completely reversed by oral administration of C-SLNs. Treatment with free curcumin showed ⩽15% recovery in membrane lipids (LPO) and 22% recovery in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with respect to AlCl3 treated group. C-SLNs showed significantly better results (97.46% and 73% recovery in LPO and AChE) at a dose of 50 mg/kg, and the results were comparable (p ⩽ 0.001) to those achieved with rivastigmine. Histopathology of the brain sections of C-SLNs treated groups also indicated significant improvement. Study highlights the potential of C-SLNs for treatment of AD.