A Comparative Histopathological Investigation of the Effects of ZnO/ Chitosan Nanocomposites and ZnO Nanoparticles on Thioacetamide-induced Nephrophaty in Rats

This study compared the effects of intraperitoneal injections of ZnO/chitosan nanocomposite and ZnO nanoparticles on histopathology of kidney in thioacetamide-intoxicated rats.

Twenty-eight male rats were randomly allocated into a healthy control group (negative control), positive control group (thioacetamide-intoxicated rats), thioacetamide-intoxicated + ZnO nanoparticles, and thioacetamide- iontoxicated + ZnO/chitosan nanocomposite. Nephropathy was induced by intraperitoneal injection of thioacetamide (50 mg/kg IP) three times (24h interval). The treatment groups were treated with ZnO nanocomposites (5mg/kg) and ZnO nanoparticles (5mg/kg) intraperitoneally for four weeks. Then, serum BUN and creatinine levels were measured. Afterwards, the rats were euthanized and kidney samples were separated for histological examinations.

There were significant increases in serum BUN and creatinine levels in thioacetamide-intoxicated rats compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, ZnO nanoparticles –treated group was found with significantly higher serum BUN and creatinine levels (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the rats treated with ZnO/chitosan nanocomposites and the positive control group in BUN and creatinine levels (P>0.05). In histological analysis, tubular necrosis and glomerular fibrosis were observed in treatment groups.

This study showed that ZnO nanoparticles can increase nephrotoxicity induced by thioacetamide, but, ZnO/chitosan nanocomposite had no effect on thioacetamide induced nephrotoxicity.