TERATOGENIC EFFECTS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES: GROSS ANOMALIES.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Dr. Royana Singh,
Department of Anatomy,
Institute of Medical Sciences,
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi-221005, Uttar Pradesh.
E-mail: singhroyana@rediffmail.com
             royanasingh@bhu.ac.in

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure of AgNPs can induces devastative and detrimental effect in the organogenesis period of the developing embryos and foetuses. Organogenesis period is highly condemnatoryand persuadable. Any injury to embryo during this period leads to dysmorphogenesis or even death AIM: The present study means to evaluate the gross anomalies on developing foetus subsequent to silver nanoparticle ingestion during the gestational period. MATERIAL & METHOD: Random selections of pregnant Swiss albino mice were selected. AgNPs, of 20-100nm size range, were administered to pregnant mice by repeated oral gavages at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 15 & 20mg/kg/day during 4-17 gestational day. All dams were subjected to exteriorization on GD 18. The fetuses were evaluated for body malformation effects. RESULTS: Repeated oral gavages treatment with AgNPs at a concentration of 0.5mg/kg/day caused resorption (4.61%) and intra uterine growth retardation (7.69%) with no gross morphology alteration. 1 mg/kg/day caused resorption (9.23%) and intra uterine growth retardation (10.76%) with a rare case of haemorrhagic conception (1.53%), 5mg/kg/day caused limb malformation (7.01%) resorption (17.54%) and intra uterine growth retardation (17.54%), closed type Neural tube deformity (5.26%), 10mg/kg/day caused 20% of limb malformation including Amelia, foot and tail vein hemorrhages and simple tail vein haemorrhage (3.50% each), resorption (22.80%), intra uterine growth retardation (29.82%), 15mg/kg/day caused severe hemorrhage within the entire body (22.80%), limb anomaly including syndactyly and oligodactyly (8.77%), resorption (42.10%), intra uterine growth retardation (45.61%), 20mg/kg/day caused Omphalocele (3.27%), Bidiscoidal placental anomaly (9.83%), resorption (29.50%) and intra uterine growth retardation (62.29%). CONCLUSION: The results show that a repeated oral dose of AgNPs during pregnancy caused fetal body dysmorphogenesis which is dose dependant.

KEYWORDS: Silver nanoparticle colloidal solution, Fetus body malformation, Dynamic light scattering.