Eugenol attenuates TiO nanoparticles-induced oxidative damage, biochemical toxicity and DNA damage in Wistar rats: an in vivo study.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) are widely used in food, edible dyes, and other commercial products. Human exposure to TiO NPs has raised concerns regarding their toxic potential. Various studies have evaluated the TiO NPs-induced toxicity, oxidative damage to the cellular components, and genotoxicity. In the present study, we examined whether co-treatment with the dietary antioxidant eugenol can attenuate or protect against TiO NPs-induced toxicity. We exposed the adult male Wistar rats to TiO NPs (150 mg/kg body weight) by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) either alone or as co-treatment with eugenol (1-10 mg/kg body weight) once a day for 14 days. The untreated rats were supplied saline and served as control. Titanium (Ti) accumulation in various tissues was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Serum levels of liver and kidney biomarkers and oxidative stress markers in the liver, kidney, and spleen were determined. A significant increase in hydrogen peroxide level confirmed that oxidative stress occurred in these tissues. TiO NPs induced oxidation of lipids, and decreased glutathione level and antioxidant enzyme activity in the kidney, liver, and spleen of treated rats. TiO NPs also increased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, and total cholesterol and decreased the blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, and total bilirubin in serum, which indicates oxidative damage to the liver and kidney. In eugenol and TiO NPs co-treated rats, all these changes were mitigated. Single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) of lymphocytes showed longer comet tail length in TiO NPs-treated groups, indicating DNA damage while tail length was reduced in eugenol and TiO NPs co-treated groups. Thus, it seems that eugenol can be used as a chemoprotective agent against TiO NPs-induced toxicity.