Nano Silver-Induced Toxicity and Associated Mechanisms

Figures & data

Figure 1 Various routes of exposure to nano silver in human body.

Table 1 Toxicity of Nano Silver in Different Organs

Animals	Dose	End-Point	Toxic Effect	Related Organs	Mechanism	Ref.
Healthy adult male mice	2 mg·kg^−1	35 days	Alterations in the ultrastructure of the liver; focal hepatocytes necrosis and apoptosis	Liver	Free radical production and oxidative stress induction	[^Citation16]
Healthy female New Zealand rabbits	0.1 g·kg^−1	24 and 72 h	Ultrastructural pathological changes and the promoted cytotoxic reactions	Generative organ	-	[^Citation17]
Zebrafish	8, 45, and 70 µg·L^−1	30 days	Reversible damage to the mucosal epithelium of the gills, and to a lesser degree to the intestinal tissue	Gut, liver and gills	-	[^Citation18]
Drosophila melanogaster	50 mg·L^−1	10, 20, and 30 days	Behavioral abnormalities and altered metabolic activity at early larval stage	Fat body and wing imaginal disc	Impaired essential metabolic components, and increased reactive oxygen species	[^Citation19]

Table 2 Toxicity of Nano Silver in Different Cells

Cells	Dose (μg·mL^−1)	End-Point	Toxic Effect	Ref.
NCM460	3–60	24 h	Increased intracellular ROS content	[^Citation24]
HCT116
A549 cells	0.5–5		Oxidative damage	[^Citation30]
Cardiomyocytes	0.001–1	1 h	Rapid collapses of TMP and loss of excitability	[^Citation31]
Human embryonic stem cells	0.001–0.1	18 days	Changes in endoderm-derived hepatocyte differentiation	[^Citation32]
NTERA-2	10–100	24, 48, and 72 h	Cytotoxicity and cell inhibition, DNA damage	[^Citation36]
Primary testicular cells

Figure 2 Mechanisms of entry of silver nanoparticles into the organism and potential mechanisms of nano silver-induced cytotoxicity in the cell.

Table 3 The Influence of Size Distribution of Silver Nanoparticles on Their Toxicity

Cells	Size (nm)	Time	Toxic Effect	Ref.
Kupffer cells	10	35 days	Destruction and reduction of ER, mitochondrial swelling, and cytoplasmic vacuolation	[^Citation16]
Mucosa epithelial cells	20–40	24 and 72 h	Loose and detached	[^Citation17]
	50	30 days	Sub-epithelial edema, hyperplasia, lamellar fusion, and the reduction of the length of intestinal villi	[^Citation18]
Neuronal cells	20, 70	7 days, 24 h	Inhibition in dopamine efflux in both mature and developing neurons	[^Citation74]
Azotobacter vinelandii	10, 50	12 h	Production of ROS	[^Citation75]

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