N-Acetylcysteine reverses silver nanoparticle intoxication in rats

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Toxicology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products poses risks of human toxicity.
• No established treatments exist for AgNP intoxication.
• Thiol antioxidants have previously shown potential in reversing AgNP-induced cytotoxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in mitigating systemic toxic effects of AgNPs in a rat model.
• To evaluate NAC's impact on AgNP bioaccumulation and release patterns.

Main Methods:

• Rats were administered a single intravenous injection of AgNPs (79.3 nm, 5 mg/kg b.w.).
• Treatment involved a single intraperitoneal injection of NAC (1 g/kg b.w.) one hour post-AgNP exposure.
• Evaluated parameters included biochemical, histopathological, hematological, and oxidative markers.

Main Results:

• AgNP administration induced significant hepatotoxicity, evidenced by biochemical and histopathological changes.
• NAC treatment significantly attenuated AgNP-induced toxic effects across all evaluated parameters.
• NAC administration altered the bioaccumulation and release patterns of AgNPs in rats.

Conclusions:

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC) demonstrates significant protective effects against systemic silver nanoparticle (AgNP) toxicity in rats.
• NAC may serve as a promising therapeutic candidate for managing AgNP intoxication.
• Further research is warranted to explore NAC's clinical applicability in AgNP poisoning.