Silver nanoparticles modulate high fat high carbohydrate diet induced metabolic changes in rats via reducing lipid peroxidation, PDGF-β and insulin resistance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly linked with insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes through various metabolic changes. The current study was designed to investigate the modulatory effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on metabolic and inflammatory changes activated during NAFLD. 

Three doses of AgNPs (100, 150, and 200 μg/kg/day for 4 weeks) were tested in a high-fat high carbohydrate diet (HFHCD) induced NAFLD model in rats. 

Sinificant (P<0.05) improvement in dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin levels by AgNPs was observed and more notably in the group that received 200 μg/kg/day AgNPs. Acute phase inflammatory protein C-reactive protein and monocytes chemoattractant protein-1 were significantly (P<0.05) lowered by AgNPs. Inline, lipid peroxidation and PDGF-β levels were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in groups that received different doses of AgNPs. Furthermore, AgNPs especially in the large dose (200 μg/kg/day) significantly decreased (P<0.05) the measured level of the inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) compared with the HFHCD group level.

Collectively, results propose the ability of AgNPs to modulate metabolic changes accompa-nying NAFLD through reducing lipid peroxidation and targeting inflammatory cytokines mediating insulin resistance.