Effects of Silymarin on Oxidative Stress Markers in Rats Treated with Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles

This study investigated the protective and anti-oxidative effects of silymarin on rats treated with MgO NPs. Number of 32 male wistar rats were used in this experiment, assigned to four groups; one, the control group and the three others were treatment groups. The treated groups inclusive of a group receiving 400 ppm Mg NPs, a group received 200 mg/kg silymarin, and a group received silymarin and that dose of Mg NPs. All groups received the treatment peritoneally as long as four weeks uninterruptedly. Post-treatment tissue level of malondialdehyde as well as the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were measured in the liver. The data were analyzed by implementation of one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni tests. In animals treated with MgO NPs, MDA level significantly increased (P=0.000), while a significant decrease was observed in GPX (P=0.000), SOD (P=0.001), and CAT (P=0.008) activities. However, silymarin prevented the effect of them in the group receiving silymarin and MgO NPs significantly and caused an increase in GPX, SOD and CAT activities as well as a decrease in MDA level (P<0.05). As, nanoparticles have harmful effects on the body raised from the generation of reactive oxygen species, this study showed that silymarin, with its antioxidant properties, may decrease free radicals produced by MgO NPs.