In a 6-OHDA rat model, intranasal silica nanoparticles loaded with Tradescantia spathacea phenolic extract (SiO2-TS) improved motor and anxiety-like behaviors and preserved dopaminergic neurons while reducing astrogliosis.

Provides a potentially translatable neuroprotective approach combining intranasal nanoparticle delivery and plant-derived phenolics that reduces neuroinflammation and dopaminergic loss in a PD model, meriting further mechanistic, pharmacokinetic, and alpha-synuclein–relevant validation.

The current limitations in Parkinson's Disease (PD) treatments necessitate innovative approaches. To this end, phenolic compounds from Tradescantia spathacea (T. spathacea) and bioactive silica demonstrate potential therapeutic efficacy in the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Hence, this study explores the neuroprotective potential of silica loaded with T. spathacea extract (SiO2-TS) in a preclinical model of PD. The aqueous extract of T. spathacea (AETS) was prepared via infusion and characterized in terms of overall yield (21.9 ± 0.4%), total phenolic compounds (25.51 ± 2.39 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid content (6.10 ± 0.16 mg RE/g). Silica loaded with AETS was synthesized and tested in adult Wistar rats (PD-like symptoms). The rats were treated with daily intranasal administration of SiO2-TS (10 or 30 mg/kg) for 15 days. Quantitative behavioral analysis showed significant motor improvement and reduced anxiety-like behavior in the 30 mg/kg SiO2-TS group compared to the 6-OHDA (6-hydroxydopamine) control. Immunohistochemistry revealed preserved dopaminergic neurons and reduced astrogliosis (GFAP expression) in the same SiO2-TS group. These results suggest SiO2-TS has significant neuroprotective effects and warrants further study for Parkinson's disease treatment.