Subchronic Toxicity Evaluation of Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles in Rats Following 28-Day Repeated Oral Administration.

Several studies on the potential adverse effects of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlONPs) have reported conflicting results. The present study investigated the potential adverse effects of AlONPs in Sprague-Dawley rats following 28-day repeated oral administration. In addition, we aimed to determine the target organ and no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of AlONPs. AlONPs was administered once daily by gavage to male and female rats at dose levels of 0, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day for 28 days. There were no treatment-related adverse effects as indicated by the clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis, ophthalmology, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross pathology, organ weight, and histopathology at all the tested doses. Under the experimental conditions of the present study, 28-day repeated oral administration of AlONPs at doses of up to 1000 mg/kg/day did not induce any treatment-related systemic toxicity in male and female rats. The NOAEL of AlONPs was set at 1000 mg/kg/day in both male and female rats and no target organs were identified.