Prophylactic Efficacy of Silymarin upon Renal Dysfunction Induced by Copper Oxide Nanoparticle

Abstract

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) have unique properties encouraged their rapidly growing uses in various fields as biomedical applications and environmental remediation. In this regard, the potential toxicity resulting from repeated exposure increases exponentially, so ensuring the suitability and safety of these nanoparticles for different uses is urgent. This experimental study aims to estimate nephrotoxic effects of CuO-NPs on some renal dysfunction markers along with the possibility attenuated efficacy of silymarin (SLM) in laboratory animals. Twenty four adult male rats were recruited in current study distributed into (4) equal groups. In CON group rats were given distilled water only and considered as control, while rats in CuO-NPs group were poisoned with copper oxide nanoparticles using gastric gavage. In CuO-NPs + SLM group, rats were provided with both CuO-NPs plus silymarin orally. In the SLM group, only silymarin was administered to rats. Studied rats were sacrificed and sera and kidney homogenates were obtained to complete the necessary biochemical and oxidative stress tests. According to the results, rats intoxicated with CuO-NPs recorded deleterious alterations in all studied renal biomarkers levels compared to control rats. However, the data confirmed that the coadministration of SLM with CuO-NPs had positively ameliorated the detrimental changes induced by CuO-NPs. In conclusion, it was suggested that a high dose of copper oxide NPs may cause significant impairment in renal functioning, and silymarin can be considered as a protective agent upon potential nephrotoxicity induced by copper oxide nanoparticle.