Volume 5, Issue 2 (Avicenna Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Dec 2025)
Avicenna J Pharma Res 2025, 5(2): 53-60 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Lotfi F, Ramezani M, Ahmadimoghaddam D, Azizi Z, Ranjbar A. Nanoparaquat and Paraquat Effects on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Rat Brain. Avicenna J Pharma Res 2025; 5 (2) :53-60
URL: http://ajpr1.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-33-en.html
URL: http://ajpr1.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-33-en.html
1- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2- 2. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
3- 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
4- 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran & 3. Nutrition Health Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2- 2. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
3- 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
4- 1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran & 3. Nutrition Health Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract: (93 Views)
Background: The nervous system is particularly vulnerable to irreversible injury owing to its structural complexity and limited regenerative capacity. Paraquat (PQ), a widely used bipyridyl herbicide, is well-documented for its severe neurotoxic effects. Polysaccharide-based nanoparticles present a promising strategy to attenuate such toxicity by modulating bioavailability and providing sustained release. The present study was undertaken to develop PQ-loaded nanoparticles and evaluate their effects on neural tissue function.
Methods: In this study, 40 male rats were randomly divided into the following groups: control, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), PQ, nano-paraquat (NP) α or β, and combinations of NAC with PQ or NP α or β. Treatments were administered intraperitoneally for seven days. On the final day, animals were sacrificed under ketamine–xylazine anesthesia, and brain tissues were collected. Samples were either fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation or preserved in liquid nitrogen for biochemical assays. Oxidative stress and biochemical indicators, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), total thiol groups (TTG), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were measured. Histopathological changes were further examined using Congo red staining to assess the neuroprotective efficacy of paraquat nano-paraquat (PQNP) α or β، formulations with or without NAC.
Results: This study showed that PQ significantly decreased TTG levels (P<0.01), CAT (P<0.001), and TAC (P<0.05) compared to the control group, while significantly increasing LPO (P<0.01). Additionally, PQNP β demonstrated a more effective modulation of oxidative stress markers in brain tissue than both PQNP α and PQ. The neuroprotective potential of PQNP β was further confirmed by histopathological findings, consistent with the biochemical results.
Conclusion: All things considered, our results show that the β form of PQNP causes less oxidative damage in the brain than both the α form and regular PQ. These findings imply that herbicides developed with nanotechnology might provide a safer and more efficient alternative to their traditional counterparts in the future.
Methods: In this study, 40 male rats were randomly divided into the following groups: control, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), PQ, nano-paraquat (NP) α or β, and combinations of NAC with PQ or NP α or β. Treatments were administered intraperitoneally for seven days. On the final day, animals were sacrificed under ketamine–xylazine anesthesia, and brain tissues were collected. Samples were either fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation or preserved in liquid nitrogen for biochemical assays. Oxidative stress and biochemical indicators, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), total thiol groups (TTG), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were measured. Histopathological changes were further examined using Congo red staining to assess the neuroprotective efficacy of paraquat nano-paraquat (PQNP) α or β، formulations with or without NAC.
Results: This study showed that PQ significantly decreased TTG levels (P<0.01), CAT (P<0.001), and TAC (P<0.05) compared to the control group, while significantly increasing LPO (P<0.01). Additionally, PQNP β demonstrated a more effective modulation of oxidative stress markers in brain tissue than both PQNP α and PQ. The neuroprotective potential of PQNP β was further confirmed by histopathological findings, consistent with the biochemical results.
Conclusion: All things considered, our results show that the β form of PQNP causes less oxidative damage in the brain than both the α form and regular PQ. These findings imply that herbicides developed with nanotechnology might provide a safer and more efficient alternative to their traditional counterparts in the future.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/09/27 | Accepted: 2025/02/28 | Published: 2026/09/28
Received: 2026/09/27 | Accepted: 2025/02/28 | Published: 2026/09/28
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
