Evaluation and Comparison of Fullerene (C60) Aqueous Suspension Administration Effects with Memantine HCL in Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease Considering Behavioral Patterns and Spatial Memory

Abstract

: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is among the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders leading to dementia in the elderly. The accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and the formation of tau protein tangles are primary contributors to AD, which induce oxidative stress. Fullerene C60, a nanoscale carbon allotrope with a diameter of 0.7 nanometers, stands out due to its structure rich in double bonds, making these nanoparticles effective radical scavengers. This property nominates them for potential use in treating neurodegenerative diseases like AD. In this study, unmodified pristine fullerene (C60), a highly hydrophobic molecule, was dispersed in water and administered intraperitoneally (1 mL, BID) to rats after inducing an AD-like condition with scopolamine hydrobromide (2mg/kg, i.p.). The aim was to assess the impact of fullerene (C60) treatment on cognitive behavior and spatial memory in rats, compared to the standard treatment with memantine HCL, using the Morris water maze method. The fullerene aqueous suspension (FAS) was prepared using a solvent exchange method involving a toluene/water mixture and ultrasonication. The concentration of fullerene particles in water was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to be 21 µg/mL. The Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique measured the average size and zeta potential of the nanoparticles as 119.14 ± 3.38 nm and -12.22 ± 5.98 mV, respectively. Treatment with FAS significantly improved memory impairment in rats compared to memantine HCL (10 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment. All rats survived until the end of the study, indicating no acute toxicity from FAS administration. These results may offer new insights into combating AD by introducing fullerene C60 as a promising nanoparticle with beneficial effects on behavioral patterns.