Curcumin Attenuates Hepatotoxicity Induced by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Rats

Abstract

Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NZnO) areincreasingly used in modern life. Most metal nanoparticleshave adverse effects on the liver.Aims: To explore the protective action of curcumin(Cur) against hepatotoxicity induced by NZnO in rats.Study Design: Animal experimentation.Methods: Control group animals received normal saline,while the Cur group animals were treated with 200mg/kg of Cur orally for 21 days. NZnO-intoxicatedrats received 50 mg/kg of NZnO for 14 days by gavagemethod. In the NZnO+Cur group, rats were pretreatedwith Cur for 7 days before NZnO administration.Plasma activities of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) were measured as biomarkers of hepatotoxicity.Hepatic levels of malondialdehyde (MDA)and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GPx) activities were measured for detectionof oxidative stress in liver tissue. Histological changesand apoptosis in liver tissue were studied by usingHematoxylin-eosin staining and the transferase dUTPnick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Results: NZnO induced a significant increase in plas- ma AST (2.8-fold), ALT (2.7-fold) and ALP (1.97-fold) activity in comparison to the control group (p