Seyed Raheleh Ahmadian1*, Mona Hashemian1, Shahram Ghasemi2, Atefeh Akbari1, Leila zare3

1. Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
2. Nanochemistry Research Lab, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Mazandaran, Iran
3. Neuroscience Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University, Iran

Introduction: Despite the numerous pharmacological activities of quercetin, it’s biomedical Application has been hampered, because of poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability.

In the present study, we fabricated a novel form of quercetin-conjugated Fe3O4–β cyclodextrin (βCD) nanoparticles (NPs), and the effect of these prepared NPs was evaluated in a chronic model of epilepsy.

Method and material: Quercetin-loaded NPs were prepared using an iron oxide core coated with βCD and pluronic F68 polymer. The chronic model of epilepsy was developed by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) at dose of 36.5 mg/kg every second day. Quercetin or its nanoformulation at doses of 25 or 50 mg/kg were administered intraperitoneally 10 days before PTZ injections and their applications continued 1 hour before each PTZ injection.Immunostaining was performed to evaluate the neuronal density and astrocyte activation of hippocampi.

Result: Our data showed successful fabrication of quercetin onto Fe3O4– βCD NPs. In comparison to free quercetin, quercetin NPs markedly reduced seizure behavior, neuronal loss, and astrocyte activation in a PTZ-induced kindling model.

Conclusion: Overall, quercetin–Fe3O4–βCD NPs might be regarded as an ideal therapeutic approach in epilepsy disorder.

Keywords: quercetin, Fe3O4 nanoparticles, anticonvulsant, neuroprotection, astrocyte activation