Pharmacokinetics and preventive effects of platinum nanoparticles as reactive oxygen species scavengers on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the pathophysiology of ischemia/reperfusion injury. To protect mouse hepatocytes from ischemia/reperfusion injury, we prepared two different sizes of citric acid-protected platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs), which exhibited ROS-scavenging activities and selective delivery to a specific type of liver cell. Small Pt-NPs (30 nm) reduced the superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical levels in solution to a greater extent than did large Pt-NPs (106 nm).