Acute oral toxicity study of magnesium oxide nanoparticles and microparticles in female albino Wistar rats

Testing of acute and sub-acute toxicity profile of novel naproxen sodium nanoformulation in male and female mice

Nanodrugs offer promising alternatives to conventionally used over the counter drugs. Compared to its free form, therapeutic benefits, and gastric tissue safety of naproxen sodium nanoformulation (NpNF) were recently demonstrated. Essential regulatory safety data for this formulation are, however, not available. To address this, male and female BALB/c mice were subjected to acute and 14-day repeated-oral dose assessments. Our data indicate that NpNF was well tolerated up to 2000 mg/kg b.w. A 14-day subacute toxicity testing revealed that the oral administration of low dose (30 mg/kg) NpNF did not produce any adverse effects on blood profile and serum biochemical parameters. Levels of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes neared normal. Histology of selected tissues also showed no evidence of toxicity. In contrast, a ten-fold increase in NpNF dosage (300 mg/kg), demonstrated, irrespective of gender, mild to moderate toxicity (p < 0.05) in the brain, stomach, and heart tissues, while ROS, LPO, CAT, SOD, POD, and GSH levels remained unaffected in the liver, kidney, spleen, testis, and seminal vesicles. No effect on serum biochemical parameters, overall indicated a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) is 300 mg/kg. Further increase in dosage (1000 mg/kg) significantly altered all parameters demonstrating that high dose is toxic.

The Efficacy of Hispidin and Magnesium Nanoparticles against Zearalenone-Induced Fungal Toxicity Causing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Rats

Contamination by fungi and the toxins they secrete is a worldwide health concern. One such toxin is zearalenone (Zea), which is structurally similar to the hormone estrogen, interferes with its action on the reproductive system, and is therefore classified as an endocrine disruptor. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of hispidin and magnesium nanoparticles (MgONPs) against zearalenone-induced myotoxicity, which causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats. A three-month exposure study was performed using female Wistar rats (n = 42) with an average weight of 100-150 g. The animals were divided into six groups (I to VI) of seven rats each. Group I was administered distilled water as a negative control. Group II was exposed to Zea 0.1 mg/kg b.w. through gavage daily. Group III was treated with 0.1 mg/kg of hispidin through gavage daily. Group IV was given 150 µg/mL MgONPs orally each day. Group V was treated with Zea 0.1 mg/kg b.w. + 0.1 mg/kg hispidin orally each day. Group VI was treated with Zea 0.1 mg/kg b.w. and the combination treatment of 0.1 mg/kg hispidin + 150 µg/mL MgONPs through gavage every day. The effectiveness of hispidin and MgONPs against Zea toxicity was evaluated in terms of ovarian histological changes, gene expression, oxidative stress biomarkers, biochemical variables, and hormone levels. The findings showed that exposure to Zea promotes PCOS in rats, with Zea-treated rats displaying hyper-ovulation with large cysts; elevated testosterone, luteinizing hormone, insulin, and glucose; and reduced sex hormone-binding globulin. In addition, qRT-PCR for aromatase (Cyp19α1) showed it to be downregulated. Treatment with hispidin improved the histopathological and hormonal situation and rescued expression of Cyp19α. Our data indicate the potential therapeutic effects of hispidin against Zea-induced Fungal Toxicity.

Acute Toxicity, Hematological Profile, and Histopathological Effects of MgO Nanoparticles on Gills, Muscle, Liver of Mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala

Nanotechnology is an advancing and emerging field of all environmental, medical, and industrial applications. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles have been widely used in medicine, consumer products, industrial products, textiles, ceramics, alleviation of heartburn, stomach ulcers, and bone regeneration. In the present study, acute toxicity (LC50) of MgO nanoparticles and hematological and histopathological changes in Cirrhinus mrigala was analyzed. The lethal concentration for 50% of MgO nanoparticles was 4.2321 mg/L. Hematological parameters such as white blood cells, red blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelets, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, as well as histopathological abnormalities in gills, muscle, and liver were observed on the 7th and 14th days of exposure. The WBC, RBC, HCT, Hb, and platelets count increased on the 14th day of exposure compared to the control and 7th day of exposure. The MCV, MCH, and MCHC levels decreased on the 7th day of exposure compared to the control and increased on the 14th day. Histopathological changes of MgO nanoparticles in gills, muscle, and liver highly damaged in the quantity of 3.6 mg/L compared to 12 mg/L on 7th and 14th days of exposure. This study finds the level of exposure in hematology and histopathological changes in tissues in relation to the exposure of MgO NPs.

Influence of biosynthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles on growth and physiological aspects of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) plant, cowpea beetle, and cytotoxicity

Recently, agricultural management innovation has incorporated engineered nanoparticles. The current investigation was carried out to produce magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgONPs) for the first time applying S. cerevisiae extract. FTIR, XRD, HRTEM, and zeta potential analysis were used to characterize the MgONPs. The FTIR data show that the bioactive substances reduce and cap the synthesized MgONPs. The crystalline metallic MgONPs had four significant peaks in the XRD pattern. The size and form of MgONPs were validated by TEM, which exhibited spherical structures with an average size of 27 nm. The effect of various dosages of MgONPs administered to the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) plant on all in vitro parameters was shown to be significant in the study. The concentration 200 ppm was the most significant treatment which increased shoot length, shoot dry-weight and root dry-weight by 27.35%, 45.09%, and 31.91% when compared with the untreated cowpea plants. MgONPs significantly increased photosynthetic pigments, with 150 ppm treatment significantly increasing soluble proteins and carbohydrates. MgONPs effectively treated cowpea C. maculatus, with dose and time-dependent insecticidal activity. MgONPs death rates varied by 82.66% and 100% on fifth day. Biochemical and histopathological studies of rats were investigated. Rats treated with MgONPs showed higher GOT, GPT, Urea levels, but lower creatinine, indicating significant differences. MgONPs-treated rats' liver showed mild to moderate histopathologic changes, including portal blood vessel congestion, lymphocytic cholangitis, and degenerative changes. MgONPs has the potential to improve cowpea development outcomes and suppress grain insects (C. maculatus).

Sodium Alginate-Based MgO Nanoparticles Coupled Antibiotics as Safe and Effective Antimicrobial Candidates against Staphylococcus aureus of Houbara Bustard Birds

Alternative and modified therapeutic approaches are key elements in culminating antibiotic resistance. To this end, an experimental trial was conducted to determine the cytotoxicity and antibacterial potential of composites of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles and antibiotics stabilized in sodium alginate gel against multi-drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a houbara bustard. The characterization of preparations was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmissible electron microscopy (STEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The preparations used in this trial consisted of gel-stabilized MgO nanoparticles (MG), gel-stabilized tylosin (GT), gel-stabilized ampicillin (GA), gel-stabilized cefoxitin (GC), gel-stabilized MgO and tylosin (GMT), gel-stabilized MgO and cefoxitin (GMC), and gel-stabilized MgO and ampicillin (GMA). The study presents composites that cause a lesser extent of damage to DNA while significantly enhancing mitotic indices/phases compared to the other single component preparations with respect to the positive control (methyl methanesulphonate). It was also noted that there was a non-significant difference (p > 0.05) between the concentrations of composites and the negative control in the toxicity trial. Studying in parallel trials showed an increased prevalence, potential risk factors, and antibiotic resistance in S. aureus. The composites in a well diffusion trial showed the highest percentage increase in the zone of inhibition in the case of GT (58.42%), followed by GMT (46.15%), GC (40.65%), GMC (40%), GMA (28.72%), and GA (21.75%) compared to the antibiotics alone. A broth microdilution assay showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in the case of GMA (9.766 ± 00 µg/mL), followed by that of GT (13.02 ± 5.64 µg/mL), GMC (19.53 ± 0.00 µg/mL), GA (26.04 ± 11.28 µg/mL), GMT (26.04 ± 11.28 µg/mL), MG (39.06 ± 0.00 µg/mL), and GC (39.06 ± 0.00 µg/mL). The study thus concludes the effective tackling of multiple-drug-resistant S. aureus with sodium-alginate-stabilized MgO nanoparticles and antibiotics, whereas toxicity proved to be negligible for these composites.

Investigation of the Biosafety of Antibacterial Mg(OH)2 Nanoparticles to a Normal Biological System

The toxicity of Mg(OH)₂ nanoparticles (NPs) as antibacterial agents to a normal biological system is unclear, so it is necessary to evaluate their potential toxic effect for safe use. In this work, the administration of these antibacterial agents did not induce pulmonary interstitial fibrosis as no significant effect on the proliferation of HELF cells was observed in vitro. Additionally, Mg(OH)₂ NPs caused no inhibition of the proliferation of PC-12 cells, indicating that the brain's nervous system was not affected by Mg(OH)₂ NPs. The acute oral toxicity test showed that the Mg(OH)₂ NPs at 10,000 mg/kg induced no mortality during the administration period, and there was little toxicity in vital organs according to a histological analysis. In addition, the in vivo acute eye irritation test results showed little acute irritation of the eye caused by Mg(OH)₂ NPs. Thus, Mg(OH)₂ NPs exhibited great biosafety to a normal biological system, which was critical for human health and environmental protection.

Impact of acute and sub-acute exposure of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on mrigal Cirrhinus mrigala

This experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of acute and sub-acute exposure of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on Mrigal Cirrhinus mrigala. For sub-acute tests 1/100,1/50,1/10 were selected based on the LC₅₀ at 96 h s. Protein, carbohydrate, and lipid, Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and DPPH, HRSA assays were analyzed in the gill, muscle, and liver of Mrigal. Protein and lipid levels increased on the 7th,14th day compared to control. Carbohydrate levels decreased on the 7th,14th day of exposure, and the enzymatical changes increased on the 7^th,14th day. Antioxidant levels highly increased in DPPH assay compared to the HRSA assay. This study provides the biochemical, antioxidant, and behavioral changes in relation to the exposure of MgO NPs.

Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles: Effective Antilarvicidal and Antibacterial Agents

People are vulnerable to mosquito-borne infections in tropical and subtropical climate countries. Due to resistive issues, vector control is an immediate concern in today's environment. The current study describes the synthesis of magnesium oxide by four different approaches including green, microwave, sol-gel, and hydrothermal methods. The synthesized magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) techniques. The FT-IR studies reveal the presence of functional groups in the synthesized nanoparticles. The structural and morphological studies were investigated using XRD and HRSEM. EDAX reveals the presence of Mg and O in the prepared samples. The synthesized MgO NPs were screened for antibacterial studies against Gram-positive strains, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, two Gram-negative cultures, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, using different concentrations. The results indicated excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at 50 mg/mL hydrothermally produced MgO nanoparticles, with a maximal zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 5 mm for S. aureus, 7 mm for E. faecalis, and 6 mm for K. pneumoniae. The ZOI of E. coli was found to be the greatest at 9 mm when 50 mg/mL sol-gel-produced MgO nanoparticles were used. The synthesized MgO nanostructures were tested against fourth-instar larvae of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, and the hydrothermally synthesized MgO nanostructures exhibited better results when compared with other methods of synthesis. The reports show that A. aegypti and A. albopictus mortality rates were reported to be the lowest with green-manufactured MgO nanoparticles (7.5 g mL-1) and the highest with hydrothermally synthesized MgO nanoparticles (120 g mL-1). The research indicates that MgO nanostructures are promising drugs for antibacterial and mosquitocidal larvae control properties.

Recent innovation and impacts of nano-based technologies for wastewater treatment on humans: a review

Sustainable wastewater management requires environment-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective methods of water treatment. The ever-growing list of emerging contaminants in municipal wastewater requires advanced, efficient, and cost-effective techniques for its treatment to combat the increasing water demand. The nano-based technologies hold great potential in improving water treatment efficiency and augmenting the water supply. However, the environmental effects of these technologies are still questionable among the public and scientific community. The present review discusses risks to human health due to the use of nano-based technology for the removal of emerging contaminants in water. The discussion will be about the impacts of these technologies on humans. Recommendations about safe and environmentally friendly options for nano-based technology for water treatment have been included. Safest options of nano-based technologies for water treatment and steps to minimize the risk associated with them have also been incorporated in this article. Since all biological systems are different, separate risk analyses should be performed at the environmentally relevant concentration for different durations. There is little/no information on the quantitative impact on humans and requires more understanding. The quantitative measurement of the cellular uptake of nanoparticles is usually difficult. We hope this article will serve its purpose for water researchers, medical researchers, environmentalists, policymakers, and the government.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: Review of Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Effects

In the last few years, the progress made in the field of nanotechnology has allowed researchers to develop and synthesize nanosized materials with unique physicochemical characteristics, suitable for various biomedical applications. Amongst these nanomaterials, metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) have gained increasing interest due to their excellent properties, which to a great extent differ from their bulk counterpart. However, despite such positive advantages, a substantial body of literature reports on their cytotoxic effects, which are directly correlated to the nanoparticles' physicochemical properties, therefore, better control over the synthetic parameters will not only lead to favorable surface characteristics but may also increase biocompatibility and consequently lower cytotoxicity. Taking into consideration the enormous biomedical potential of MONPs, the present review will discuss the most recent developments in this field referring mainly to synthesis methods, physical and chemical characterization and biological effects, including the pro-regenerative and antitumor potentials as well as antibacterial activity. Moreover, the last section of the review will tackle the pressing issue of the toxic effects of MONPs on various tissues/organs and cell lines.

Assessment of nano-iron particles impact on the reproductive health of female Wistar rats

Background

Iron oxide nanoparticles, especially nano-magnetite, are promising candidates for use in a variety of applications. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of nano-magnetite on the reproductive health of female Wistar rats. Twenty-one adult female rats were divided into three groups: Group 1 served as the control group, Group 2 received a low dose of 5 mg/kg of nano-magnetite, and Group 3 received a high dose of 10 mg/kg of nano-magnetite. For 30 days, rats were intraperitoneally injected three times per week.

The main findings

Revealed that nano-magnetite did not induce a change in body weight or absolute as well as relative reproductive organs weight. Nano-magnetite nanoparticles influenced the reproductive serum hormone levels as well as imbalanced the ovarian and uterine malondialdehyde and total antioxidant activity. After nano-magnetite nanoparticle injection, the histopathological examination revealed apoptosis of granulosa cells of various types of follicles, degenerated corpora lutea, congested blood vessels, and uterine epithelial cells of uterine tissue showed a high level of apoptosis and inflammation. Immunohistochemistry studies demonstrated a significant increase in activated caspase-3 following nano-magnetite injection, indicating an increase in cell apoptosis.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the negative effect of magnetite nanoparticle on reproductive health and increased the likelihood of infertility.

The mechanistic effects of human digestion on magnesium oxide nanoparticles: implications for probiotics Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium bifidum VPI 1124

The effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on the human gut microbiota are of high interest due to the link between the gut homeostasis and overall human health. The human intake of metal oxide NPs has increased due to its use in the food industry as food additives. Specifically, magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) have been described as antimicrobial and antibiofilm. Therefore, in this work we investigated the effects of the food additive MgO-NPs, on the probiotic and commensal Gram-positive Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium bifidum VPI 1124. The physicochemical characterization showed that food additive MgO is formed by nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) and after a simulated digestion, MgO-NPs partially dissociate into Mg2+. Moreover, nanoparticulate structures containing magnesium were found embedded in organic material. Exposures to MgO-NPs for 4 and 24 hours increased the bacterial viability of both L. rhamnosus and B. bifidum when in biofilms but not when as planktonic cells. High doses of MgO-NPs significantly stimulated the biofilm development of L. rhamnosus, but not B. bifidum. It is likely that the effects are primarily due to the presence of ionic Mg2+. Evidence from the NPs characterization indicate that interactions bacteria/NPs are unfavorable as both structures are negatively charged, which would create repulsive forces.

Estimation of in vivo toxicity of MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles synthesized by eco-friendly non-thermal plasma technology

MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles were synthesized using the atmosphere plasma jets technique. The physical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by a series of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD and EDS analyses confirmed the purity of the nanoparticles synthesized with an average nanoparticle crystallite size of 36 nm. TEM confirmed the successful synthesis of spindle-shaped MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles with an average size of 70 nm. To evaluate their toxicity, the MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles were tested in vivo. Twenty-five albino female rats were randomly divided into five groups (five rats in each group); one was used as the control group and the other four as the experimental groups. Doses of the MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles solution were orally administered to the test groups to examine the toxicity. For 30 consecutive days, each rat in test groups 2–5 received 1 mL of the MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles solution at the respective doses of 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg L⁻¹. The rats’ growth, hematology, thyroid gland function, and histopathology were examined after 30 days. Findings indicate that the growth retardation in the rats treated with MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles may be due to their infection by Hyperthyroidism. The hematology results show the nonsignificant effect of MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles on white blood cells, implying that these nanoparticles have no harmful impact on the immune system. Moreover, the levels of the thyroxine and thyroid‐stimulating hormones increased, and that of the triiodothyronine hormone decreased. The histological analysis results show that low concentrations of MgO/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles are safe for desired biomedical applications.

Therapeutic Potential of MgO and MnO Nanoparticles Within the Context of Thyroid Profile and Pancreatic Histology in a Diabetic Rat Model

Magnesium oxide (MgO) and manganese oxide (MnO) have been reported to be effective against Diabetes Mellitus (DM). However, their nanoparticulate form has not been evaluated for antidiabetic effect. MgO and MnO nanoparticles (15–35 nm) were synthesized and subsequently characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), zeta sizer, and scanning electron microscopy. 6–7 weeks old rats weighing 200–220 mg were divided into 07 equal groups (n = 8), namely, negative control (NC), positive control (PC), standard control (Std-C), MgO high dose group (MgO-300) and low dose group (MgO-150), and MnO nanoparticle high dose (MnO-30) and low dose group (MnO-15). Diabetes was chemically induced (streptozotocin 60 mg/kg B.W) in all groups except the NC. Animals were given CMD and water was ad libitum. Nanoparticles were supplemented for 30 days after the successful induction of diabetes. Blood and tissue samples were collected after the 30^th day of the trial. The mean serum glucose, insulin, and glucagon levels were improved maximally in the MgO-300 group followed by MgO-150 and MnO-30 groups. Whereas the MnO-15 group fails to show any substantial improvement in the levels of glucose, insulin, and glucagon as compared to the positive control group. Interesting the serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were markedly improved in all the nanoparticle treatment groups and were found to be similar to the standard control group. These results highlight the modulatory properties of MgO and MnO nanoparticles and merit further studies delineating the molecular mechanisms through which these nanoparticles induce antidiabetic effects.

Subchronic toxicity of magnesium oxide nanoparticles to Bombyx mori silkworm

Despite many research efforts devoted to the study of the effects of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) on cells or animals in recent years, data related to the potential long-term effects of this nanomaterial are still scarce. The aim of this study is to explore the subchronic effects of MgO NPs on Bombyx mori silkworm, a complete metamorphosis insect with four development stages (egg, larva, pupa, month). With this end in view, silkworm larvae were exposed to MgO NPs at different mass concentrations (1%, 2%, 3% and 4%) throughout their fifth instar larva. Their development, survival rate, cell morphology, gene expressions, and especially silk properties were compared with a control. The results demonstrate that MgO NPs have no significant negative impact on the growth or tissues. The cocooning rate and silk quality also display normal results. However, a total of 806 genes are differentially expressed in the silk gland (a vital organ for producing silk). GO (Gene Ontology) results show that the expression of many genes related to transporter activity are significantly changed, revealing that active transport is the main mechanism for the penetration of MgO NPs, which also proves that MgO NPs are adsorbed by cells. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis demonstrates that the longevity regulating pathway-worm, peroxisome and MAPK signaling pathway are closely involved in the biological effects of MgO NPs. Overall, subchronic exposure to MgO NPs induced no apparent negative impact on silkworm growth or silks but changed the expressions of some genes.

Genotoxic assessment of cerium and magnesium nanoparticles and their ionic forms in Eisenia hortensis coelomocytes by alkaline comet assay

The present study aimed to evaluate the genotoxic potential of cerium oxide (CeO₂ ), magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles and their ionic forms by alkaline comet assay. Eisenia hortensis were exposed to different series of concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/ml) of chemicals for 48 h to find LC₅₀ . The LC₅₀ for MgO and CeO₂ NPs were 70 and 80 μg/ml. Whereas, the LC₅₀ for their ionic forms were 50 and 70 μg/ml. To assess the potential DNA damage caused by the chosen chemicals, E. hortensis was further exposed for 48 h to the following concentrations, based on their respective LC_50s : LC_50/2 , LC⁵⁰ , and 2xLC₅₀ . Comet scores demonstrated the significant increase (p < 0.05) in DNA damage at all concentrations, both for NPs and ionic forms in a concentration-dependent manner. Findings of the present study revealed the genotoxic effects of CeO₂ NPs, MgO NPs and their ionic forms on E. hortensis.

How to evaluate the potential toxicity of therapeutic carbon nanomaterials? A comprehensive study of carbonized nanogels with multiple animal toxicity test models

Carbon-based nanomaterials have great potential in medical applications, especially in the treatment of infectious diseases and even tumors. However, to safely execute the application of carbon nanomaterials in human treatments, conducting safety assessments and establishing suitable evaluation criteria are necessary. In this study, lysine-carbonized nanogels (Lys-CNGs) that display antibacterial and antiviral abilities were employed in a comprehensive evaluation of their toxicity profiles through assessments in different animal models and growth stages. It was observed that zebrafish at the embryo and eleutheroembryo stages experienced significant toxic effects at a concentration of 15-fold the recommended dosage (0.5 ppm), whereas adult zebrafish following long-term consumption of fodder containing Lys-CNGs presented no adverse effects. Further microbiota analysis indicated that Lys-CNGs did not cause significant changes in the composition of the intestinal bacteria. In contrast, in the toxicity assessments with mammalian animal models, the Lys-CNGs showed no adverse effects, such as weight loss, dermal irritation, and skin sensitization responses in rabbits and guinea pigs, even at a high dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. Our study revealed that Lys-CNGs have different toxic effects on different growth stages of zebrafish. Researchers in this field should carefully consider the implications of these toxicity profiles during the development of therapeutic carbon-based nanomaterials and for comparison of studies.

Assessment of the dose-dependent biochemical and cytotoxicity of zein-coated MgO nanowires in male and female albino rats

Introduction: Recently, zein-coated MgO nanowires were synthesized, which could be promising as an effective antimicrobial compounds that can be combined in the preparation of a diversity of new dental formulations. However, there is a deficiency of information concerning their toxicological profile regarding the human health.Objective: This in vivo study aimed to explore the hepato- and nephrotoxicity of low versus high doses of zein-coated MgO nanowires in rats.Materials and Methods: A 21-day recurrent dose toxicity research was carried out. Wistar rats were divided into 2 main groups, males and females (n = 18). Each group was further subdivided into 3 subgroups: control, MgO-zein nanowires low dose, MgO-zein nanowires high dose. The low dose used was 100 mg/kg while the high dose used was 200 mg/kg.Results: The results showed that MgO-zein nanowires at both doses did not affect the electrolytes levels compared to the control levels. Also, they did not produce any significant alteration in liver function markers in both rats' genders. MgO-zein nanowires at both doses did not produce any effective alteration in serum creatinine in treated rats of both genders. Moreover, very minimal histological alterations were observed in both doses of MgO-zein nanowires in liver and kidney of both genders.Conclusion: Based on the observed safety of zein-coated MgO nanowires, it can be utilized as an effective antimicrobial compound that can be combined in the preparation of a diversity of new dental formulations.KEY MESSAGESMgO NPs are globally used in multiple fields including the therapeutic field.Zein has wide pharmaceutical applications especially coating the tablet over sugar.There are no cytotoxic studies that investigate MgO-zein nanowires safety until now.

Curcumin Conjugated Gold Nanoclusters as Perspective Therapeutics for Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Accumulation of lipids in the myocardium contributes to the development of cardiac dysfunctions and various chronic diseases, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Curcumin (Cur) can relieve lipid accumulation problems, but its efficiency is limited by poor water solubility and biocompatibility. Herein, gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) were used to improve the efficiency of Cur, and the conjugates Curcumin-AuNCs (AuCur) were developed. In the treatment of high-fat-induced myocardial cell damage, we found that AuCur could effectively reduce intracellular lipid accumulation, the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the increase of mitochondrial division, and the increase of apoptosis compared with Cur. AuCur decreased the expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-α subtype (PPARα), and the therapeutic effect of AuCur was canceled when the expression of PPARα was enhanced. For the above reasons, AuCur treated the toxic effect of high lipid on cardiomyocytes by regulating PPARα, providing a new idea and method for the treatment of DCM.

Changes in Serum Physiological and Biochemical Parameters of Male Swiss Albino Mice After Oral Administration of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO, CuO, and ZnO+CuO)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in medicine and industrial fields. They have negative effects such as hematoxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic on animals. This research aimed to investigate the blood physiological and biochemical responses induced by ZnO-NP and CuO-NP individually or in combination in male Swiss albino mice. For purpose, NPs were given to mice with 100 μl of water by oral gavage for 14 days. Three sublethal NP dose groups (1, 5, 25 mg/kg/day) and one control group (only received 100 μl of water) were used in the experiments and serum metabolite (glucose, total protein, total cholesterol, triglyceride, cortisol, blood urea nitrogen, immunoglobulin G, and M), ions (Na, K, Cl, Mg, and Ca), and enzyme (ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH) levels were measured. ZnO-, CuO-, and ZnO+CuO-NPs especially higher doses (5 and 25 mg/kg/day) decreased all serum metabolite (except blood urea nitrogen), ions, and ALP while these nanoparticles increased ALT, AST, LDH, and blood urea nitrogen. These increases/decreases in all serum parameters were generally higher in mice treated with the ZnO+CuO-NP mixture compared to the ZnO-NP and CuO-NP groups alone. The study shows that serum biochemistry profiles can be used as indicators to assess nanoparticle toxicity on lipid, protein, and energy metabolisms, immune and enzyme systems, ion regulation, and tissue functions.

Genotoxicity Assessment of Metal-Based Nanocomposites Applied in Drug Delivery

Nanocomposites as drug delivery systems (e.g., metal nanoparticles) are being exploited for several applications in the biomedical field, from therapeutics to diagnostics. Green nanocomposites stand for nanoparticles of biocompatible, biodegradable and non-toxic profiles. When using metal nanoparticles for drug delivery, the question of how hazardous these "virus-sized particles" can be is posed, due to their nanometer size range with enhanced reactivity compared to their respective bulk counterparts. These structures exhibit a high risk of being internalized by cells and interacting with the genetic material, with the possibility of inducing DNA damage. The Comet Assay, or Single-Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE), stands out for its capacity to detect DNA strand breaks in eukaryotic cells. It has huge potential in the genotoxicity assessment of nanoparticles and respective cells' interactions. In this review, the Comet assay is described, discussing several examples of its application in the genotoxicity evaluation of nanoparticles commonly administered in a set of routes (oral, skin, inhaled, ocular and parenteral administration). In the nanoparticles boom era, where guidelines for their evaluation are still very limited, it is urgent to ensure their safety, alongside their quality and efficacy. Comet assay or SCGE can be considered an essential tool and a reliable source to achieve a better nanotoxicology assessment of metal nanoparticles used in drug delivery.

Biogenic green synthesis of MgO nanoparticles using Saussurea costus biomasses for a comprehensive detection of their antimicrobial, cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells and photocatalysis potentials

Distinct morphological MgO nanoparticles (MgONPs) were synthesized using biomasses of Saussurea costus roots. The biomass of two varieties of Saussurea costus (Qustal hindi and Qustal bahri) were used in the green synthesis of MgONPs. The physical and chemical features of nanoparticles were confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The surface morphology of the obtained nanoparticles was detected at different magnifications by SEM and TEM microscopy and the size of nanoparticles were found to be 30 and 34 nm for Qustal hindi and Qustal bahri, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the prepared MgONPs was screened against six pathogenic strains. The synthesized nanoparticles by Qustal bahri biomass exerted significant inhibition zones 15, 16, 18, 17, 14, and 10 mm against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata, S. aureus and B. subtilis as compared to those from Qustal hindi 12, 8 and 17 mm against B. subtilis, E. coli and C. tropicalis, respectively. MgONPs showed a potential cytotoxicity effect against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Cellular investigations of MgONPs revealed that the prepared nanoparticles by Qustal bahri exhibited high cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cancer cell lines. IC50 values in MCF-7 cells were found to be 67.3% and 52.1% for MgONPs of Saussurea costus biomasses, respectively. Also, the photocatalytic activity of MgONPs of each Saussurea costus variety was comparatively studied. They exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue after UV irradiation for 1 h as 92% and 59% for those prepared by Qustal bahri and Qustal hindi, respectively. Outcome of results revealed that the biosynthesized MgONPs showed promising biomedical potentials.

In vivo toxicity evaluation of boron nitride nanosheets in Bombyx mori silkworm model

Boron nitride nanosheets (BN NSs), a novel material with a structure similar to graphene, have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary properties. A deep in vivo study of the toxicity of BN NSs is indispensable, which can help to understand their potential risk and provide useful information for their safe application. However, so far as we know, the systematic in vivo toxicity evaluation of BN NSs hasn't been reported. In this study, silkworm (Bombyx mori) was used as a model to investigate the toxicity of BN NSs, by continuously feeding silkworm larvae with BN NSs at various mass concentrations (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%). The toxicity was evaluated from the levels of animal entirety (mortality, silkworm growth, cocoons and silk properties), tissues (pathological examination) and genes (transcriptomic profiling). The results show that the exposure to BN NSs causes no obvious adverse effects on the growth, silk properties or tissues of silkworm, but the expressions of genes in midgut concerned with some specific functions and pathways are significantly changed, indicating that BN NSs may have potential danger to lead to dysfunction. This study has performed in vivo toxicity evaluation of BN NSs and provided useful safety information for the application of BN NSs.

Acute and subacute oral toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles in female albino Wistar rats

The extensive use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) in various industries and their wide range of applications have led to their accumulation in different ecological niches of the environment. This excess exposure raises the concern about its potential toxic effects on various organisms including humans. However, the hazardous potential of CuO-NPs in the literature is elusive, and it is essential to study its toxicity in different biological models. Hence, we have conducted single acute dose (2000 mg/kg) and multiple dose subacute (30, 300 and 1000 mg/kg daily for 28 days) oral toxicity studies of CuO-NPs in female albino Wistar rats following OECD guidelines 420 and 407 respectively. Blood analysis, tissue aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and acetylcholinesterase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, lipid malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione assays, and histopathology of the tissues were carried out. The higher dose treatments of the acute and subacute study caused significant alterations in biochemical and antioxidant parameters of the liver, kidney and brain tissues of the rat. In addition, histopathological evaluation of these three organs of treated rats showed significantly high abnormalities in their histoarchitecture when compared to control rats. We infer from the results that the toxicity observed in the liver, kidney and brain of treated rats could be due to the increased generation of reactive oxygen species by CuO-NPs.

Potential adverse effects of nanoparticles on the reproductive system

With the vigorous development of nanometer-sized materials, nanoproducts are becoming widely used in all aspects of life. In medicine, nanoparticles (NPs) can be used as nanoscopic drug carriers and for nanoimaging technologies. Thus, substantial attention has been paid to the potential risks of NPs. Previous studies have shown that numerous types of NPs are able to pass certain biological barriers and exert toxic effects on crucial organs, such as the brain, liver, and kidney. Only recently, attention has been directed toward the reproductive toxicity of nanomaterials. NPs can pass through the blood–testis barrier, placental barrier, and epithelial barrier, which protect reproductive tissues, and then accumulate in reproductive organs. NP accumulation damages organs (testis, epididymis, ovary, and uterus) by destroying Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and germ cells, causing reproductive organ dysfunction that adversely affects sperm quality, quantity, morphology, and motility or reduces the number of mature oocytes and disrupts primary and secondary follicular development. In addition, NPs can disrupt the levels of secreted hormones, causing changes in sexual behavior. However, the current review primarily examines toxicological phenomena. The molecular mechanisms involved in NP toxicity to the reproductive system are not fully understood, but possible mechanisms include oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and genotoxicity. Previous studies have shown that NPs can increase inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis and induce ROS, causing damage at the molecular and genetic levels which results in cytotoxicity. This review provides an understanding of the applications and toxicological effects of NPs on the reproductive system.

MgO nanoparticles cytotoxicity caused primarily by GSH depletion in human lung epithelial cells

Bio-response of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) is emerging, obviously, with a conflicting flavor. This study evaluates the underlying mechanism of bio-responses of MgO NPs in human lung epithelial (A549) cell. TEM size of NPs was 40-50 nm and cuboidal in shape. EDS data showed no detectable impurity. Zeta potential of MgO NPs suggested a fair dispersion in complete culture media and in PBS. MgO NPs induced a concentration dependent cytotoxicity when measured by MTT and NRU. MgO NPs induced cytotoxicity strongly correlated with intracellular depletion of antioxidant GSH. MgO NPs did not induce concentration dependent ROS. All live treatment conditions caused autophagy, a survival mechanism when deprived of nutrients and antioxidant. At highest cytotoxic concentration of MgO NPs, there was significant elevation in MMP and caspase-3 activity. GSH depletion mediated autophagy failure lead to MgO NPs induced death at higher concentrations that might have potentiated by induced ROS. This study suggested a mechanism of cytotoxicity caused by MgO NPs that was primarily dependent on GSH depletion, and ROS induction played secondary role in toxicity. Significantly higher toxicity observed for MgO NPs in comparison to Mg salt clearly indicated the involvement of nanoparticulate form in toxicity.

Genotoxicity, biochemical, and biodistribution studies of magnesium oxide nano and microparticles in albino wistar rats after 28-day repeated oral exposure

Increased utilization and exposure levels of Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs) to humans and environment may raise unexpected consequences. The goal of this study was to evaluate the toxicological implications of MgO NPs and MPs after 28 day repeated oral administration in Wistar rats with three different doses (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg). The MgO particles were characterised systematically in order to get more insights of the toxicological behaviour. MgO NPs induced significant DNA damage and aberrations in chromosomes. Moreover, hepatic enzymes released into the systemic circulation caused significant elevated levels of physiological enzymes in blood. NPs could interfere with proteins and enzymes and alter the redox balance in cell environment. Significant accumulation of Mg in all tissues and clearance via urine and faeces was noted in size dependent kinetics. Oral administration of MgO NPs altered the biochemical and genotoxic parameters in dose dependent and gender independent manner.