CONTEXT: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamin D3 possess established neuroprotective properties; however, their clinical translation in Parkinson's disease (PD) is limited by suboptimal brain penetration. AIM: This study aimed to develop a liposomal co-encapsulation system of CoQ10 and vitamin D3 and to evaluate its efficacy against free drugs and standard L-DOPA therapy in a PD rat model. METHODS: release. Biodistribution of CoQ10 and vitamin D3 was evaluated in rats following intraperitoneal administration. Neurobehavioral, biochemical, inflammatory, and histopathological assessments were conducted in a rotenone-induced rat model of PD. RESULTS: The optimised formulation exhibited a particle size of 194.1 ± 6.2 nm, PDI of 0.26 ± 0.02, zeta potential of -32.8 ± 2.6 mV, and entrapment efficiencies of 68.4 ± 4.1% (CoQ10) and 77.9 ± 3.4% (vitamin D3), with sustained drug release over 72 h. Biodistribution studies demonstrated significantly enhanced brain uptake, with CoQ10 and vitamin D3 concentrations reaching 8.4 and 0.66 µg/g at 10 h, representing approximately 11-fold and 9-fold increases, respectively, compared with free drug solutions. In the PD model, liposomal treatment improved motor performance and restored catalase, glutathione, dopamine, and BDNF levels, while reducing TNF-α and IL-6 compared with the rotenone group (p < 0.0001). Histopathological analysis confirmed reduced striatal degeneration and preservation of hippocampal architecture. CONCLUSIONS: Liposomal co-delivery of CoQ10 and vitamin D3 significantly enhances brain delivery and neuroprotection, representing a promising therapeutic strategy for PD.
Biswas et al. (Mon,) studied this question.