Therapeutic Efficacy of Extract and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from the Extract against Cadmium-Induced Renal Nephrotoxicity in Wistar Rats.

This study explored the therapeutic efficacy of and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) synthesized using a extract to alleviate cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats. Sub-acute toxicity assessments of (100 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg, and 4000 mg/kg) and Ag NPs (2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) did not find any significant difference, compared with untreated control rats ( = 3 animals/group). Then, the adult Wistar rats were divided into one control (untreated/unexposed) and six experimental groups ( = 5/group): Ag NPs alone, alone, exposure to 50 mg/kg CdCl in drinking water for 35 days, exposure to CdCl for 35 days followed by treatment with 0.1 mg/kg/day Ag NPs (intraperitoneal injection) and/or 100 mg/kg/day by gavage for 15 days. In the CdCl-exposed group, body weight decreased; urea, creatinine, and uric acid concentrations increased ( < 0.05 vs. control), indicative of nephrotoxicity, antioxidant defenses (SOD, GSH, and CAT) were reduced, and malondialdehyde concentration increased. Moreover, the kidney's architecture in CdCl-exposed rats was altered: fibrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, glomerular destruction, and tubular dilatation. Treatment with and/or Ag NPs after CdCl exposure improved some of the renal function and architecture alterations induced by CdCl, and also increased body weight. This study underscores the potential therapeutic applications of and Ag NPs to decrease oxidative stress and promote xenobiotic detoxification, in line with the growing emphasis on environmentally conscious practices in scientific research and healthcare.