Table 3 Selected relevant pre-clinical studies based on recent LNPs for the diagnosis and treatment of AD

PE

Lecithin

Stearic acid

Cholesterol

–

50 mg/kg

v.o

AlCl 3-induced Wistar rats

PE shows a protective effect in the AD animal model

NPs improve the PE effectiveness in novel object recognition test, increase of biomarkers of antioxidant activity, lipid peroxidation reduction, and neurofibrillary tangles and the senile plaques reduction

Almuhayawi et al. [57]

α-bisabolol

Cholesterol

–

5–10 μg/ml

incubation

Aβ25–35 Neuro-2a cells

NPs significantly suppress the production of free radicals, reduce β-secretase, caspase-3, cholinesterase activities and expression of Bax, and induce expression of Bcl-2 proteins

Sathya et al. [164]

Quercetin

Cetyl palmitate miglyol-812

Transferrin

10–30 µM

Incubation

hCMEC/D3 cells

Quercetin-NPs are not toxic for hCMEC/D3 cells and permeate more the BBB than free drug. Moreover, NPs inhibit fibril formation of Aβ peptide

Pinheiro et al. [161]

EPO

GMS

–

1250–2500 IU/Kg

i.p

Aβ42-induced Wistar rats

EPO-NPs significantly restore memory in treated rats compared to those treated with free EPO

EPO-NPs reduce the oxidative stress, ADP/ATP ratio, and Aβ plaque deposition in the hippocampus more effectively than the free EPO

Dara et al. [165]

Curcumin

Caprylic/capric triglycerides, sorbitan monostearate

PCL

1–10 mg/kg

i.c.v

Aβ42-induced Swiss Albino mice

Curcumin-NPs display significant neuroprotection against Aβ42-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes in the AD-induced mice model

Giacomedi et al. [158]

α-bisabolol

Cholesterol

–

5–10 μg/ml

Incubation

Aβ25–35 Neuro-2a cells

α-bisabolol-NPs protect the Neuro-2a cells from Aβ induced neurotoxicity and inhibited Aβ aggregation

Sathya et al. [163]