Solid lipid nanoparticles as carriers for Ulva rigida peptide extract with demonstrated anti-β-amyloid and antioxidant properties

Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains one of the greatest challenges in neurodegenerative research, largely due to the toxic aggregation of the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide and the difficulty of delivering therapeutic compounds across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Methods This work explored Ulva rigida ( U. rigida ), a green macroalga rich in bioactive peptides, as a natural source of anti-amyloidogenic and antioxidant agents. Results First, the peptides extraction process was optimized by design of experiments (DoE). Peptides extracted and hydrolyzed under optimized conditions showed antioxidant capacity (2.51 ± 0.18 μmol Trolox equivalent / mg hydrolyzed protein ), and the fraction of peptides with a molecular weight lower than 3 kDa was able to reduce the aggregation of Aβ 1–42 peptide in vitro by around 60%. To overcome the issue of limited bioavailability, we encapsulated these peptides in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). The developed nanoformulation displayed a size of 158 ± 14 nm, narrow polydispersity, and near-neutral zeta potential (−4.7 ± 0.6 mV), with an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 54.1 ± 0.1% and suitable stability under simulated gastrointestinal and storage conditions. Discussion By combining biological activity with a delivery platform, this study highlights the potential of Ulva rigida as a source of bioactive peptides with the potential to delay the progression of AD.