Introduction: Silver nanoparticles have been used in many fields as catalysts, textile engineering, electronics, optics, and most importantly in the medical field as a bactericidal and as a therapeutic agent.
Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxic effect of silver nanoparticles on filiform and circumvallate tongue papilla of albino rats. In addition to reveal the effect of administration of vitamin c as an antioxidant to overcome this toxicity.
Materials and methods: Twenty-eight male Albino rats weighing 200-250 grams were divided into two groups; the control and the experimental groups. The experimental group which is divided into two subgroups, subgroup I receiving silver nanoparticles and subgroup II receiving silver nanoparticles and vitamin c. Animals were kept for 28 days, then rats tongue were dissected and processed to be stained by H & E and examined immunohistochemically for BCL-2.
Results: Histological examination of the circumvallate and filiform papillae showed changes in the general outline with apparent thinning of the covering epithelium and overlying keratin layer. In the CVP there was degeneration of some taste cells while in the filiform papilla there were few epithelial cell vacuolations observed specially in the prickle cells layer. On the other hand, vitamin c group showed better histological picture and minimized apoptotic changes.
Conclusion: Using of silver nanoparticles caused severe histological and apoptotic changes in the filiform and circumvallate papillae, while using of antioxidants as vitamin c reverse this toxic effect of silver nanoparticles by minimizing the severity of both histological and apoptotic changes.