Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt.
Medical Research Institute, Biophysics Department, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt.
Molecules. 2021 May 20;26(10):3045. doi: 10.3390/molecules26103045.
Nanotechnology application has widespread use in many products. Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) are widely used in industrial applications. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of the ethanolic saffron extract (ESE) as a natural antioxidant on the hepatotoxicity induced by CuNPs in male mice.
The characterization of CuNPs was determined using ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, particle size analysis, zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and electron microscope. The effect of saffron on the hepatotoxicity induced by CuNPs in mice was evaluated by evaluating the survival rate of the mice, oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, DNA evaluation, as well as its effect on the histology and transmission electron microscope of the liver.
The results revealed that all parameters were affected in a dose-dependent manner by CuNPs. These effects have been improved when the treatment of CuNPs is combined with ethanolic saffron extract.
We can conclude that saffron and its bioactive crocin portion can prevent CuNP-induced oxidative liver damage. This substance should be useful as a new pharmacological tool for oxidative stress prevention.
纳米技术的应用在许多产品中得到了广泛的应用。铜纳米粒子（CuNPs）在工业应用中得到了广泛的应用。本研究旨在探讨乙醇藏红花提取物（ESE）作为天然抗氧化剂对 CuNPs 诱导的雄性小鼠肝毒性的影响。
使用紫外-可见吸收光谱、粒径分析、Zeta 电位、傅里叶变换红外光谱和电子显微镜对 CuNPs 的特性进行了表征。通过评估小鼠的存活率、氧化应激、抗氧化能力、DNA 评估以及对肝脏组织学和透射电子显微镜的影响，来评估藏红花对 CuNPs 诱导的肝毒性的影响。
结果表明，CuNPs 以剂量依赖的方式影响所有参数。当用乙醇藏红花提取物处理 CuNPs 时，这些影响得到了改善。
我们可以得出结论，藏红花及其生物活性成分藏红花酸可以预防 CuNP 诱导的氧化肝损伤。这种物质可以作为预防氧化应激的新的药理学工具。
