Preventive Effect of Gallic Acid-Loaded Carrageenan Nanoparticles Against Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat: Modulation of Oxidative Pathway.

Polymeric nanocarriers represent a promising drug delivery platform for neurological disorders. This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of gallic acid-loaded carrageenan nanoparticles (GA-CG NPs) in a rat model of global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Rats were randomly assigned to four groups, including Control, I/R, GA (free gallic acid), and GA-CG NPs. GA and GA-CG NPs were administered orally for 14 days before I/R induction. Following I/R, depressive-like behaviors and cognitive function, cerebral infarct volume, activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx), glutathione (GSH), dopamine (DA) levels, and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were evaluated. GA-CG NPs pretreatment significantly improved behavioral disorders and reduced infarct volume compared to the I/R group. The nanoparticle formulation enhanced antioxidant defenses, increasing SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH, and DA levels while decreasing MDA. Notably, GA-CG NPs demonstrated superior neuroprotection to free GA across all measured parameters. These findings indicate that GA-CG NPs effectively prevent I/R-induced oxidative brain damage and may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for cerebral ischemia complications.