Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

The aims of the current study were to synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Chenopodium murale (C. murale) leaves extract, to evaluate the nephrotoxicity of the synthesized AgNPs and to evaluate the protective role of C. murale leaves extract in rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 7 groups and treated orally for 3 weeks as follows: control group, the groups treated with AgNPs (25 or 50 mg/kg b.w), the groups treated with C. murale extract (0.5 or 1 mg/kg b.w) and the groups treated with AgNPs plus the extract at the tested doses. The results revealed that the size of the synthesized of AgNPs was 30-50 nm. The in vivo results indicated that treatment with AgNPs induced renal toxicity as manifested by the negative effects on the kidney function indicies, serum electrolytes, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant parameters and tumor markers, induced morphological changes and an increase in necrosis/ apoptotic in the kidney tissues as well as down regulated Bax, Bcl-2 and P53 gene expressions indicating a nephrotoxic effect. The extract alone did not induce any significant changes, although it increased the antioxidant capacity. The combined treatment with the extract and AgNPs resulted in a significant improvement in all the tested parameters and the histological picture of the kidney. It could be concluded that C. murale leaves extract is a promising candidate to protect the kidney against AgNPs due to its higher content of antioxidant compounds

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