Effect of Crocin on Bax/Bcl-2 Ratio, Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Enzymes Activity in Liver Tissue of Chick Embryo Treated with Silver Nanoparticles

Aims: Silver nanoparticles, through free radical production, can cause oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of crocin on Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activity in liver tissue of chick embryo treated with silver nanoparticles.
In this experimental study, 45 Ross 308 Fertilized chicken eggs were randomly divided into five groups (control and experimental groups). On day 10 of incubation, the control group received 0.5 ml of saline solution in an amniotic sac of embryos and experimental groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were treated with one injection of 0.5 ml of silver nanoparticle 200 ppm and a size of 60 nm. On day 12 of incubation, the experimental groups 2, 3 and 4 were treated with crocin 0.5 mg/ml in concentrations of 100, 200 and 300 μg/ml. On day 20 of incubation, levels of Bax, Bcl-2, malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes of the liver tissue were measured. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software, using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test.
Findings: In the group of silver nanoparticles compared to the control group, the levels of Bcl-2 and antioxidant enzymes decreased and Bax and malondialdehyde levels increased. In groups of silver nanoparticles with concentrations of 100, 200 and 300 μg/ml of crocin compared to the group of silver nanoparticles alone, the levels of Bcl-2 and antioxidant enzymes increased in dose-dependent manner, and Bax and malondialdehyde levels decreased in dose-dependent manner (p Dose-dependent injection of crocin decreases oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis in liver tissue of chick embryo by decrease of toxicity of silver nanoparticles.