Quercetin nanoparticles with enhanced bioavailability as multifunctional agents toward amyloid induced neurotoxicity

Quercetin (Que), as one of the most potent flavonoids, has gained appreciable attention in anti-fibrosis, anti-oxidation and other therapeutic research due to its numerous pharmacological and biological functions. However, low aqueous solubility, poor permeability and instability in physiological media have limited its widespread application in the pharmaceutical field. Herein, a facile method for fabrication of Que nanoparticles (NPs) has been developed by pulsed laser ablation (PLA). Que NPs exhibited homogeneous morphology with an average diameter of 50 nm and narrow distributions, which revealed enhanced solubility and drug release activity. Owing to the advance of NPs in modulating the amyloid fibrillation process as well as the anti-oxidative ability, Que NPs were applied to regulate Aβ42 assembly and they showed multifunctional effects: inhibiting Aβ aggregation, destabilizing Aβ fibrils, decreasing Aβ-induced oxidative stress and Aβ-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, Que NPs with enhanced bioavailability may act as a multifunctional therapeutic agent toward amyloid-related diseases.