Protective Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Silica Nanoparticles Induced Biochemical Alterations in Rat Testes

Abstract

Human health effects associated with silica exposure have been widely discussed. Environmental and occupational exposure to silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) is inevitable, as nanomaterials have become part of our daily routine. SiNPs were found to have severe toxicity than silica micro-particles in male reproductive systems. It might be due to the factor that smaller the diameter of silica nanoparticles, the greater will be the toxicity. In the present study, 40 and 80 mg SiNPs were exposed to rats for 60 days and a group treated with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) along with SiNPs. At the end of the exposure, rats were sacrificed by anaesthetic overdose, rat testes were removed for the biochemical investigations namely, lipid peroxide levels (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH). Results of the present study demonstrates that SiNPs intoxicated rats were found increased LPO and PC level while the antioxidant level namely SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH were found to be decreased in the testes when compared with the control rats, while DHA acclimation rats were observed insignificant changes as compared with the SiNPs treated groups. On the basis of results it may be concluded that the oxidative stress markers increased in the intoxicated rats and the DHA supplementation might have rescued the SiNPs exposure.