Abstract
Both silicon and silica nanoparticles (SiNPs and SiO2NPs, respectively) are currently considered to be promising carriers for targeted drug delivery. However, the available data on their in vivo toxicity are limited. The present study was aimed at investigation of SiNP and SiO2NP (mean diameter 10 and 13 nm, respectively) toxicity using both morphological and functional criteria. Hematological and biochemical parameters were assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats 5, 21 and 60 days after administration of NPs. Inner ear function was determined using otoacoustic emission testing at 21 and 60 days after infusion of NPs. Furthermore, the histological structure of liver, spleen and kidney samples was analyzed. Intravenous infusion of SiNPs or SiO2NPs (7 mg/kg) was not associated with significant changes in hemodynamic parameters. Hearing function remained unchanged over the entire observation period. Both inter- and intragroup changes in blood counts and biochemical markers were non-significant. Histological findings included the appearance of foreign body-type granulomas in the liver and spleen as well as microgranulation in the liver after administration of NPs. The number of granulomas was significantly lower after administration of SiNPs compared with SiO2NPs. In conclusion, both tested types of NPs are relatively biocompatible nanomaterials, at least when considering acute toxicity.
Highlights
Targeted drug delivery (TDD) to an area of interest offers the advantages of decreased drug toxicity and improved therapeutic efficacy because of the selective accumulation of the therapeutic agent within the diseased tissue [1]
While most of the work on TDD has focused on tumor therapy, it has more recently been applied to the treatment of ischemic heart disease [3], and inflammatory [4] and autoimmune [5] diseases
The concept of TDD is based on the fact that intravenously administered drug-loaded nanocarriers can accumulate in the affected tissue, a process followed by local drug release
Summary
Targeted drug delivery (TDD) to an area of interest offers the advantages of decreased drug toxicity and improved therapeutic efficacy because of the selective accumulation of the therapeutic agent within the diseased tissue [1]. A nanocarrier should have the following characteristics: sufficient drug loading capacity, high potential for accumulation in the diseased tissue, controlled drug release kinetics, biological inertness and complete biodegradation. Among inorganic nanocarriers, both silicon- and silica-based NPs (SiNPs and SiO2NPs, respectively) have received considerable interest in the past few years [8,9]. Kumar et al [15] showed a complete clearance of organically modified, 20–25 nm SiO2NPs from nude mice This clearance occurred via hepatobiliary excretion within 15 days after a single intravenous infusion, with no sign of organ toxicity. Inner ear function and histology of the liver, spleen, and kidney were investigated after administration of either SiNPs or SiO2NPs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
