Toxicity study using rat (Wistar) model of a hydrogel dressing with silver nanoparticles crosslinked and sterilized by gamma radiation

Silver nanoparticles (NPAg) have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic action in combination with hydrogels to recover the damaged tissue, promoting healing of the wound. The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the hydrogel dressing with NPAg from the analysis of possible toxic effects on renal and hepatic functions. It is an experimental study with 85 male Wistar rats, young adults. Nanoprate hydrogel and bidrogel dressings were used at concentrations of 22 and 44 ppm, both crosslinked and sterilized by irradiation with gamma rays at the 25 kGy dose at the center of radiation technology (CTR). The animals were distributed according to the treatment received after surgical induction of the wound on the animal's back. They were euthanized with 24 hours, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days and after collecting the blood to determine the biochemical parameters. The project was approved by CEUA FAPAC ITPAC PORTO. Data were analyzed using the Past, Shapiro-Wilk and Kruskal-Wallis programs. For distribution and comparison data ANOVA and Tukey test with a significance level of 95%. No changes were observed in relation to biochemical parameters (TGP, TGO, urea and creatinine), and there were no statistically significant differences between the three groups of animals, independent of time. It was possible to observe that the animals treated with 44 ppm had always lower mean values than the other two groups in all analyzes. The study showed that the dressings of NPAg tested may not induce toxicity, being necessary to complement with other tests, such as histopathological study and atomic absorption spectroscopy. (author)