Solid lipid nanoparticles loading with curcumin and dexanabinol to treat major depressive disorder

This research explores the potential of combining curcumin and dexanabinol, loaded into solid lipid nanoparticles, as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Dexanabinol is a synthetic cannabinoid with neuroprotective properties, while curcumin has shown antidepressant effects. The study uses mice models of MDD, both with and without cannabinoid receptor 1 (CBR1), to understand how this combination affects the brain. The mice were treated with corticosterone to induce depression-like symptoms and then given the nanoparticle treatment. The findings indicate that the nanoparticle treatment improves symptoms of depression in mice with CBR1, but not in those without it, suggesting that the treatment's effectiveness relies on this receptor. The treatment also appears to influence the levels of certain neurotransmitters and markers of neuronal health.

• 1
  Solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with curcumin and dexanabinol increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of mature neuronal markers (NeuN, MAP2, Tuj1) in wild-type mice.
• 2
  The nanoparticle treatment promoted the release of dopamine and norepinephrine in the hippocampus and striatum of wild-type mice, reversing the effects of corticosterone-induced depression.
• 3
  The antidepressant effects of the nanoparticle treatment were dependent on the presence of the CBR1 receptor, as no significant improvements were observed in CBR1 knockout mice.