Investigation of effect of nano-encapsulated Curcumin in decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s development in STZ induced diabetes animal model

Increased epidemiological studies have shown that type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's pathology. The most likely causes of Alzheimer's pathology are insulin resistance and impaired insulin signaling pathway in the brain.In the type 2 diabetic rat brain, there is an increase in the levels of phosphorylated-Tau and Aβ, which are the Alzheimer's markers, and in the brain the insulin signaling pathway components (insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), phospho-AKT (protein kinase B), phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)) has been decreased.Because of the similarities in the molecular mechanisms underlying the degenerative developments in the two diseases, pharmacological agents with an indication for type 2 diabetes have been considered as candidate drugs in Alzheimer's treatment.Curcumin is known by its clinical activitiesincluding anti-Alzheimer’s and anti-diabetic effects.The significant biological activities of curcumin is being hindered by its low bioavailability. In this study the curcumin formulation with enhanced bioavailability prepared using nano-montmorillonite (Curc-MMT) was orally administered (50 mg/ animal/day)to Sprague Dawley male rats, in three subgroups: Control, Streptozotocin induced diabetes (STZ) and STZ+Curc-MMT,for 6 weeks.The hippocampusof rats wereexamined by immune-histochemical staining for phospo-Akt, phosphorylated-Tau, Aβ, IGF-1R and phospo-GSK3β.In rats’ serum, also, IGF-1 and GLP-1 levels were determined using ELISA kits. Our data has shown that bioavailability-enhanced curcumin formulation is able to reduce the occurrence of diabetes induced Alzheimer's like pathology and could be counted as apotential therapeutic agent for prevention of Alzheimer’s-like pathologies.

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