Prevention of dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute enteritis by zinc nanoparticles green-formulated by sodium lignosulfonate

The principles of diagnosis for intestinal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other intestinal-related diseases have been clarified based on different diagnostic mediators and therapeutic targets of nanomaterials. Furthermore, the nanomedicines action mechanism in alleviating the disease process, reducing inflammation, and repairing mucosa has been determined. Zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) have been identified as valuable metallic nanoparticles that exhibit significant anti-inflammatory effects. In this particular experiment, green-formulated ZnNPs were created using sodium lignosulfonate. The characterization of these nanoparticles was conducted using various techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). For the in vivo part of the study, adult Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups. The animals were administered ZnNPs (50 µg/kg) or salazosulfapyridine (175 mg/kg) before 5 % dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) solutions (0.75 g/kg) intragastric administration. The treatments were conducted for 1 week. Measurements were taken for macroscopic changes in the colon tissue, wet/dry (W/D) weight ratios, disease activity index (DAI), and food intake in 24 h. The levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10), IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in the serum were analyzed at 7 or 1 days. Additionally, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), diamine oxidase (DAO), malonaldehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the colon tissue were measured at 7 days. Furthermore, the activation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in colon tissue was examined using Western blot and RT-PCR. In rats with acute enteritis, the administration of ZnNPs resulted in a significant reduction in DAI at 1 week after DSS treatment. Additionally, it led to an increase in body weight and food intake within 1 day at 3 or 6 days, as well as a decrease in the colon weight-to-dry weight ratio. ZnNPs also exhibited a reduction in IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the serum, while increasing IL-10 levels at 7 days. Moreover, it reduced GSH-Px, DAO, MDA, and MPO efficacies in the colon. More investigations revealed that ZnNPs prevented significantly ICAM-1 and NF-κB levels in colon tissue. This research provides evidence that ZnNPs possess high protective efficacies on DSS-induced acute enteritis in animals by their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.