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. 2023 Mar;30(3):103571.
doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103571. Epub 2023 Jan 25.

Ameliorative effect of Nigella sativa conjugated silver nanoparticles against chromium-induced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity in mice

Tooba Nauroze  1   2 , Shaukat Ali  1 , Lubna Kanwal  1   3 , Chaman Ara  4 , Tufail Akbar Mughal  5 , Shagufta Andleeb  2
Affiliations

Ameliorative effect of Nigella sativa conjugated silver nanoparticles against chromium-induced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity in mice

Tooba Nauroze et al. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Hexavalent chromium induces oxidative stress in the liver and kidney. Therefore an in vivo study was designed to investigate the modulatory effect of biosynthesized AgNP against Cr (VI) induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The organs index, serum level of ALT, AST, ALP, MDA, total protein and creatinine were measured. The histopathology and micrometry of the liver and kidney were examined. The liver index was significantly increased (0.098 ± 0.13 g) with slight increase in kidney index in Cr exposed group. The serum level of ALT (163.0 ± 5.5 U/L), AST (484.0 ± 10.7 U/L), ALP (337.6 ± 9.6 U/L), MDA (641.2 ± 29.2 U/L), and creatinine (2.9 ± 0.2 mg/dL) were significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) with significant decrease in total protein level (2.9 ± 0.2 g/dL) (P ≤ 0.05) in chromium treated group. In histopathology, distorted hepatic cords, necrosis, damaged glomerulus and Bowman's capsule were observed. Micrometric studies of the liver and kidney showed significant increase in size of hepatocytes (1188.2 ± 467.7 µ2) and their nuclei (456.4 ± 206.7 µ2), ACSA of Bowman's capsule (11835.5 ± 336.7 µ2) and glomerulus (9051.8 ± 249.8 µ2) in Cr (VI) treated group. The size of brush border (10.1 ± 3.0 µ) was significantly reduced in Cr (VI) treated group however the ACSA of lumen was not significantly changed. With the administration of NSSE and Nigella sativa AgNPs, decreased the oxidative damage caused by Cr (V).

Keywords: Chromium (VI); Hepatotoxicity; Histopathology; Micrometry; Nigella sativa seed extract; Renal toxicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Experimental scheme of study.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Water intake measurement in experimental groups, Con; Control; Cr: chromium treated; NS: NSSE treated; NS + NP: Nigella sativa AgNPs treated; P: prevention; T: treatment. Different letters showing significant different of treatment groups with that of Cr treated group. Results represented in term of mean ± SEM. P ≤ 0.05. Different letters showing significant different of treatment groups with that of Cr treated group. Statistical icons: a,b,c,d,e,f,g = P ≤ 0.05. aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,gg = P ≤ 0.01. aaa,bbb,ccc,ddd,eee,fff,ggg = P ≤ 0.001.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Analysis of ALT, AST, ALP, MDA, Total Protein and Creatinine measurement in experimental groups. Con; Control; Cr: chromium treated; NS: NSSE treated; NS + NP: Nigella sativa AgNPs treated; P: prevention; T: treatment. Results represented in term of mean ± SEM. P ≤ 0.05. Different letters showing significant different of treatment groups with that of Cr treated group. Statistical icons: a,b,c,d,e,f,g = P ≤ 0.05. aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,gg = P ≤ 0.01. aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd,eee,fff,ggg = P ≤ 0.001.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Histopathology of Liver (40X) A: control; B: Cr; C: NS; D: NS + NP; E: NS (P); F: N + NP (P); G: NS (T); H: N + NP (T) treated groups. CV: central vein, Yellow arrows: sinusoids, purple arrow: normal hepatocytes, white arrow: kupfer cells: black arrow: necrosis, red arrow: micro vesicles in hepatocytes, green arrow: degenerating hepatocytes, blue arrows: hepatic cords.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Histopathology of Kidney (40X). Yellow arrows: Bowman’s capsule: black arrow: glomerulus: orange arrow: distal convoluted tubule, blue arrow: proximal convoluted tubule, white arrow: micro vesicles and eccentric nucleus, black arrow: distorted glomerulus, green arrow: necrosis.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Selected regions of the histological section of Cr (VI) treated kidney showing histopathology (40X). Blue arrows: bowman’s capsule: yellow arrow: atrophy of glomerulus: white arrow: fibrocytes, dark green arrow: fibrosis in interstitial tissues, light green arrow: micro vesicles and nucleus disappeared, black arrow: macrovesivles, green arrow: necrosis, light blue arrow: brush border, dark blue arrow: necrosis, red arrow: nuclear fragmentation and condensation, dark pink arrow: eccentric nucleus, light pink arrow: vacuolation, orange arrow: mage nucleus.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Analysis of Hepatocyte and their nucleus size measurement in experimental groups. Con; Control; Cr: chromium treated; NS: NSSE treated; NS + NP: Nigella sativa AgNPs treated; P: prevention; T: treatment. Results represented in term of mean ± SEM. P ≤ 0.05. Different letters showing significant different of treatment groups with that of Cr treated group. Statistical icons: a,b,c,d,e,f,g = P ≤ 0.05. aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,gg = P ≤ 0.01. aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd,eee,fff,ggg = P ≤ 0.001.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Analysis of ACSA of Bowman’s capsule, glomerulus, lumen of proximal convoluted tubule and brush border size measurement in experimental groups. Con; Control; Cr: chromium treated; NS: NSSE treated; NS + NP: Nigella sativa AgNPs treated; P: prevention; T: treatment. Results represented in term of mean ± SEM. P ≤ 0.05. Different letters showing significant different of treatment groups with that of Cr treated group. Statistical icons: a,b,c,d,e,f,g = P ≤ 0.05. aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,gg = P ≤ 0.01. aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd,eee,fff,ggg = P ≤ 0.001.
Supplementary Fig. 1
Supplementary Fig. 1
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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