Title:Efficacy of Ropinirole-Loaded PLGA Microspheres for the Reversion of Rotenone- Induced Parkinsonism
Volume: 23
Issue: 23
Author(s): Sofia Negro, Liudmilla Boeva, Karla Slowing, Ana Fernandez-Carballido, Luis Garcia-García and Emilia Barcia*
Affiliation:
- Dpto. Farmacia y Tecnologia Farmaceutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Plaza Ramon y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid,Spain
Keywords:
Ropinirole, PLGA, microspheres, rotenone, Parkinson´s disease, brain immunochemistry.
Abstract: A new controlled delivery system has been developed for ropinirole (RP) for the treatment of Parkinson´s Disease (PD) consisting in PLGA microparticles (MPs) which exhibited in vitro constant release of RP
(78.23 µg/day/10 mg MPs) for 19 days. The neuroprotective effects of RP released from MPs were evaluated in
SKN-AS cells after exposure to rotenone (20 µM). Cell apoptosis was significantly reduced by RP (100-120 µM).
Daily doses of rotenone (2 mg/kg) given i.p. to rats induced neuronal and behavioral changes similar to those of
PD. After 15 days, animals received RP in saline (1 mg/kg/day for 45 days) or as MPs at two dose levels (amount
of MPs equivalent to 7.5 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg RP given on days 15 and 30). Brain immunochemistry (Nisslstaining,
GFAP and TH immunohistochemistry) and behavioral testing (catalepsy, akinesia, rotarod and swim
test) showed that animals receiving RP either in solution or encapsulated within the MPs reverted the PD symptoms
with the best results obtained in animals receiving RP microspheres at the highest dose assayed, thereby
confirming the potential therapeutic interest of the new RP delivery system.
