Introduction

Solid lipid nanoparticles, loaded with bergamot essential oil without psoralens, for use in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, such as the neuropathic type of pain or pain occurring in the course of cancer or in the course of chronic neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Technical features

An odourless nanotechnology BEO delivery system, able to release known amounts of the phytocomplex, without psoralens (BEO-BF), and to protect its ingredients, in particular volatile compounds, from chemical instability and from light or heat inactivation, increasing the phytocomplex shelf life. Longer lasting physical and chemical stability of the phytocomplex is mandatory for reproducibility of pharmacotherapy effects. The dermatological preparation for skin application in the form of cream, i.e. a nano-cream delivery system (NDS), can be advantageously used to complement the therapy of acute and chronic pain and for the prevention or treatment of BPSDs-Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and any other stress (including itch) related behavioural and mood disorders in healthy or demented people. Aromatherapy is basically devoid of serious adverse drug reactions and its efficacy allows serious side effects of painkillers and antipsychotics for BPSDs to be minimized.

Possible Applications

• To complement the therapy of acute and chronic pain and prevention or treatment of BPSDs and any other stress (including itch) related behavioral and mood disorders in normal or demented people;
• To prepare smell devoid pharmaceutical product (cream/gel) incorporating active principles in solid lipid nanoparticles, in association with one or more excipients and/or adjuvants.

Advantages

• Titrated active principles;
• Longer lasting biological activity;
• Reproducibility of pharmacologic effects;
• Viability for double-blind clinical trials.