Quercetin-loaded zein based nanofiber patch: A novel cognitive enhancer

Cognitive is the key factor for success. Therefore, the cognitive enhancer is preferred. Based on the information that quercetin could enhance memory and the advantages for drug delivery by nanofibers, this study was aimed to evaluate the zein based nanofiber patch loaded with quercetin on the memory performance in rats. Quercetin-loaded zein based electrospun nanofiber patches at concentration of 10 and 15% were successfully prepared. In order to determine the cognitive enhancing effect and possible mechanisms of quercetin-loaded nanofiber, the developed patches had been placed at dorsal back of male Wistar rats for 14 days. Then, they were assessed memory using Morris water maze test. At the end of the experiment, the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the oxidative stress markers including the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in hippocampus were determined. It was found that rats treated with 10% and 15% quercetin-loaded nanofiber patches showed the increased memory. However, only rats treated with 15% quercetin-loaded nanofiber patch showed the increased neuron density and the enhanced SOD activity in hippocampus. The level of MDA in hippocampus was also decreased in both rats treated with 10% and 15% quercetin-loaded nanofiber patches. It can be concluded that quercetin-loaded zein based nanofiber patch could enhance memory and the possible mechanism might be associated with its antioxidant activity. This study is the first study to demonstrate that transdermal nanofiber patch loaded with quercetin is the potential innovation to enhance memory.