Toxicity of selenium nanoparticles in male Sprague-Dawley rats at supranutritional and nonlethal levels

AimsWe synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and examined their toxicity in male rats at supranutritional and nonlethal doses.Main methodsThe SeNPs were administered daily by gavage at doses of 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 mg Se/kg-body weight (bw) in 2 mL of 0.9% saline for 14 consecutive days. Body weight, viscera index and blood biochemical parameters were measured. Histopathological examination was performed on selected tissues, and liver tissue was examined for apoptotic cells.Key findingsBody weight decreased considerably in the groups given doses of 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw, but increased in the groups given doses of 0.2 and 0.4 mg Se/kg-bw. The viscera index and some biochemical parameters in the 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw group differed from the control group. Lesions in the liver, kidneys, lungs, and thymus, and apoptotic liver cells were observed in the 4.0 and 8.0 mg Se/kg-bw groups.SignificanceFrom this study, we conclude that supranutritional levels of SeNPs had no obvious toxic effects in rats, and could be used as potential candidates for cancer chemoprevention, although doses greater than 2.0 mg Se/kg-bw induced chronic toxicity.