Curcumin, a dietary polyphenol and major constituent of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), is extensively used as a spice in Asian countries. For ages, turmeric has been used in traditional medicine systems to treat various diseases, which was possible because of its anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancerous, antiepileptic, antidepressant, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, antiapoptotic, and antiproliferative effects. Curcumin has potent antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antiapoptotic, neurotrophic activities, which support its plausible neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative disease. However, there is limited information available regarding the clinical efficacy of curcumin in neurodegenerative cases. The low oral bioavailability of curcumin may be speculated as a plausible factor that limits its effects in humans. Therefore, utilization of several approaches for the enhancement of bioavailability may improve clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the use of nanotechnology and a targeted drug delivery system may improve the bioavailability of curcumin. The present review is designed to summarize the molecular mechanisms pertaining to the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and its nanoformulations.

Fluoride is the second largest contaminant of drinking water. Fluoride toxicity is a major concern in the endemic areas where a high amount of fluoride is present in ground water. Oxidative stress has been proposed to be one of the mechanisms of fluoride‐induced toxicity. Antioxidant‐rich food has been found to alleviate fluoride‐induced toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we have examined the effect of hesperidin on fluoride‐induced neurobehavioral changes in rats. In the current study, male Sprague‐Dawley rats were exposed to sodium fluoride through drinking water (120 ppm). Hesperidin (200 mg kg−1 d−1; per os) was administered either alone or in combination with fluoride‐containing drinking water. Bisphinol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) was used as peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ) antagonist and was administered (10 mg kg−1 d−1; intraperitoneal injection) with/without hesperidin along with fluoride‐containing drinking water. The behavioral changes in the animals were assessed by analyzing rotarod test, novel object recognition test, and forced swim test (FST). After 8 weeks, animals were killed to isolate blood and brain for monitoring biochemical changes. The 8‐week exposure of fluoride resulted in motor impairment as observed with reduced fall time in rotarod test, memory impairment as observed with reduced preference index in novel object recognition test, and depression‐like behavior as observed with reduced mobility index in the FST. Treatment with hesperidin improved neurobehavioral impairment along with restoration in brain biochemical changes (ie, acetylcholinesterase activity and antioxidant and oxidative stress parameters). The protective effect of hesperidin was reversed by coadministration of BADGE. The neuroprotective effect of hesperidin appears to be contributed through PPAR‐γ receptor.

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Over the last few years, the focus over the ocular delivery system has been increased exponentially. The reason behind this interest may be due to noninvasive nature of this administration route along with its patient compatibility. The side effects associated are also fewer. However maintenance of its efficiency still remains a challenging task for the formulation scientists as there are number of external barriers like tear, blood flow in conjunctiva, blood retinal barrier, film clearance etc. Along with these problems, since the solubility of the drug also affects the efficiency of the formulation, nanosuspension is an attractive approach to resolve these problems. Nanosuspension contains a poorly soluble drug suspended in dispersion medium. This colloidal system improves the poor solubility of the drug to a great extent with alteration of its pharmacokinetic profile, its safety and efficacy.

Nasal route is found to be valuable for targeting drugs to CNS via a different mechanism. The advantages, disadvantages, various aspects of nasal anatomy and physiology, mechanism of drug transport from nose brain, drug selection criteria to cross BBB/Blood-CSF barrier are discussed briefly. Nowadays many drugs have better systemic bioavailability through nasal route as compared to oral administration. In addition, intranasal drug delivery enables dose reduction, rapid attainment of therapeutic blood levels, quicker onset of pharmacological activity, and fewer side effects. There are various approaches in delivering a therapeutic substance to the target site. One such approach is using microemulsion as a carrier for the drug. The main purpose of this study is the use of microemulsion technology in drug targeting to the brain along with mechanism of the nose to brain transport, formulation and formation of the microemulsion and its characterization.