Cobalt Iron Oxide (CoFe2O4) Nanoparticles Induced Toxicity in Rabbits

Muhammad Shahid Khan; Saeed Ahmad Buzdar; Riaz Hussain; Abdulaziz Alouffi; Muhammad Tahir Aleem; Muhammad Farhab; Muhammad Arshad Javid; Rana Waseem Akhtar; Iahtasham Khan; Mashal M Almutairi

doi:10.3390/vetsci10080514

Cobalt Iron Oxide (CoFe₂O₄) Nanoparticles Induced Toxicity in Rabbits

Vet Sci. 2023 Aug 9;10(8):514. doi: 10.3390/vetsci10080514.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physics, The Islamia University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan.
² Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan.
³ King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, College of Sciences and Health Professions, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA.
⁵ MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetic Engineering, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
⁷ Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
⁸ Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan.
⁹ Section of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang Sub-Campus University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
¹⁰ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The market for nanoparticles has grown significantly over the past few decades due to a number of unique qualities, including antibacterial capabilities. It is still unclear how nanoparticle toxicity works. In order to ascertain the toxicity of synthetic cobalt iron oxide (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles (CIONPs) in rabbits, this study was carried out. Sixteen rabbits in total were purchased from the neighborhood market and divided into two groups (A and B), each of which contained eight rabbits. The CIONPs were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Crystallinity and phase identification were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average size of the nanoparticles (13.2 nm) was calculated by Scherrer formula (Dhkl = 0.9 λ/β cos θ) and confirmed by TEM images. The saturation magnetization, 50.1 emug^-1, was measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). CIONPs were investigated as contrast agents (CA) for magnetic resonance images (MRI). The relaxivity (r = 1/T) of the MRI was also investigated at a field strength of 0.35 T (Tesla), and the ratio r₂/r₁ for the CIONPs contrast agent was 6.63. The CIONPs were administrated intravenously into the rabbits through the ear vein. Blood was collected at days 5 and 10 post-exposure for hematological and serum biochemistry analyses. The intensities of the signal experienced by CA with CIONPs were 1427 for the liver and 1702 for the spleen. The treated group showed significantly lower hematological parameters, but significantly higher total white blood cell counts and neutrophils. The results of the serum biochemistry analyses showed significantly higher and lower quantities of different serum biochemical parameters in the treated rabbits at day 10 of the trial. At the microscopic level, different histological ailments were observed in the visceral organs of treated rabbits, including the liver, kidneys, spleen, heart, and brain. In conclusion, the results revealed that cobalt iron oxide (CoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles induced toxicity via alterations in multiple tissues of rabbits.

Keywords: XRD; blood biochemistry; cobalt iron oxide (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles (CIONPs); histopathology; magnetic resonance imaging; rabbits; relaxivity.

Grants and funding

RSP2023R494/The researchers supporting project number (RSP2023R494), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia