Protective Effect of Propolis Against Pulmonary Histological Alterations Induced by 10 nm Naked Gold Nanoparticles

Little is known about propolis protective effect against the toxicity induced by gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The present investigation was carried out to investigate the protective role of propolis against the histological alterations induced in the lung tissues by naked 10 nm GNPs. Male albino Wistar rats were exposed to 10 nm GNPs at a dose of 2 mg/kg together with or without propolis (50 mg/kg) for 15 days. Lung biopsies from all rats under study were subjected to histological examinations. Exposure to 10 nm GNPs has induced thickened alveolar wall, inflammatory cells infiltration, interstitial macrophages invasion, emphysema, pulmonary edema, dilatation and congestion of the interalveolar capillaries, atelectasis and fibrocytes proliferation. Propolis combination with GNPs demonstrated full protection from pulmonary edema and alveolar hypersensitivity while the lung tissues were partially protected from interstitial thickening, inflammatory cells infiltration, emphysema, dilatation and congestion of the interalveolar capillaries. On the other hand, propolis failed to protect the lung tissues from fibrosis, macrophages invasion and atelectasis induced by GNPs. The findings indicated protective role for propolis against some histological damage in the pulmonary tissues induced by GNPs toxicity.