{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T01:33:06Z","timestamp":1791336786401,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768953600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomolecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The present study reports the design and physicochemical characterization of a hybrid nanoparticle system for the potential intranasal delivery of galantamine (GAL), aimed at improving its bioavailability. Carbon dots (CDs) were used to load GAL, enhancing its dissolution and stability, and were subsequently incorporated into a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)\u2013curcumin (PLGA\u2013Cur) conjugate matrix. The successful formation of the PLGA-Cur conjugate was verified via 1H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, while the loading of GAL and its physical state in the CDs was assessed via FTIR and pXRD, respectively. The resulting GAL-CD\/PLGA\u2013Cur nanoparticles were spherical, with particle sizes varying from 153.7 nm to 256.3 nm, a uniform morphology and a narrow size distribution. In vitro release studies demonstrated a multi-phase sustained release pattern extending up to 12 days. Spectroscopic and thermal analyses confirmed successful conjugation and molecular interactions between GAL and the carrier matrix. This proof-of-concept hybrid system demonstrates promising controlled, multi-phase sustained galantamine release in vitro, highlighting the role of curcumin conjugation in modulating polymer structure and release kinetics and providing a foundation for future biological evaluation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biom16010176","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T10:41:34Z","timestamp":1769164894000},"page":"176","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Design and Physicochemical Characterization of Hybrid PLGA\u2013Curcumin\/Carbon Dot Nanoparticles for Sustained Galantamine Release: A Proof-of-Concept Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Christina","family":"Samiotaki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stavroula","family":"Nanaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rizos Evangelos","family":"Bikiaris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hephaestus Laboratory, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 654 04 Kavala, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2730-0778","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Evi","family":"Christodoulou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1516-3761","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George Z.","family":"Kyzas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hephaestus Laboratory, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 654 04 Kavala, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6765-512X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Panagiotis","family":"Barmpalexis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8458-4952","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitrios N.","family":"Bikiaris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"268","DOI":"10.1017\/S1092852920002229","article-title":"Galantamine beyond Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u2014A fact or artefact?","volume":"27","author":"Naguy","year":"2022","journal-title":"CNS Spectr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1517\/17425251003592137","article-title":"Galantamine for Alzheimer\u2019s disease","volume":"6","author":"Prvulovic","year":"2010","journal-title":"Expert Opin. 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