Formulation and characterization of nanoparticles loaded with curcumin and amantadine as a promising neuroprotective agent

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is regarded as the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by observable motor dysfunction and loss of dopaminergic neurons. To date, there is no cure for PD, nor the treatment that stops its progression. Nanotechnology is very useful for controlling drug release, thus improving drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. In this study, we fabricated curcumin- and amantadine-loaded nanoparticles using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a nanocarrier using the desolvation method. Encapsulating curcumin and amantadine were beneficial in improving its aqueous solubility and bioavailability. The prepared nanoparticles had the particle size and zeta potential of 257 nm and -29 mV, respectively. The in vitro neuroprotective effect was determined using SHSY5Y cell lines through the MTT assay, which showed strong neuroprotective activity.