Abstract
Introduction: With the growing interest in the applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in biotechnology and their physiological effects, possible toxicity of gold nanoparticles is becoming an increasingly important issue. It was shown that the toxicity is both dose- and size-dependent, and the AuNPs of higher concentration would cause more cytotoxicity. Objectives: The aim of this work was to study the toxic effect of intraperitoneal administration of gold nanoparticles -if any- on the mucous membrane of the tongues of albino rats and the possibility of one-month recovery period. Material and methods: Forty-six male albino rats were used in the present investigation. They were divided into the following groups: Group (1) (16 rats) served as controls, they received the solvent of AuNPs intraperitoneally daily for 21 days. Group (2) (15 rats) received 10mg/kg body weight of AuNP solution intraperitoneally daily for 21 days. Group (3) (15 rats) were treated the same way as Group 2 for 21 days and then left for one-month as a recovery period. Results: Examination of the tongue of the rats which were exposed to gold nanoparticles solution revealed atrophic and degenerative changes of both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the tongue as well as the lingual salivary glands. The examined tongues of the rats which were allowed a recovery period showed improvement in the histological picture. Conclusion: Exposure to over dose of AuNPs causes atrophic and degenerative changes. A recovery period of one-month can lead to regeneration and improvement in the histological picture.