Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are one of the most used nanomaterials in cosmetics and topical products. These nanoparticles have also been tested for drug delivery and in tissue engineering. However, some studies raise the possibility that ZnO NPs might cause cardiotoxic effects and systemic toxicity. A study in Scientific Reports investigated the toxic effects of ZnO NPs on the hearts of Wistar rats. The higher concentration of ZnO NPs (100 mg/kg bw) was associated with signs of cardiac disorder affecting electrocardiogram data when compared with lower concentrations of ZnO NPs or the control group.In addition, both the intermediate (50 mg/kg bw) and higher concentration groups showed elevated markers of oxidative stress. The higher concentration of ZnO NPs significantly affected the quality of the heart tissue, with heart histology showing damage. This study demonstrated that the subacute injection of ZnO NPs induced cardiac dysfunction and pathological lesions in a dose-dependent manner, as well as increased oxidative stress, which could be a possible mechanism behind the toxic effects of ZnO NPs on cardiomyocytes.

Original reference: Hussein, A.A. et al. Sci. Rep. 14, 15416 (2024)

氧化锌纳米颗粒（ZnO NP）是化妆品和外用产品中最常用的纳米材料之一。这些纳米颗粒还经过了药物输送和组织工程测试。然而，一些研究提出了 ZnO NPs 可能引起心脏毒性作用和全身毒性的可能性。 《科学报告》中的一项研究调查了氧化锌纳米颗粒对 Wistar 大鼠心脏的毒性作用。与较低浓度的 ZnO NP 或对照组相比，较高浓度的 ZnO NP（100 mg/kg bw）与影响心电图数据的心脏疾病迹象相关。此外，中间体（50 mg/kg bw）和浓度较高的组显示氧化应激标志物升高。较高浓度的 ZnO NPs 显着影响心脏组织的质量，心脏组织学显示出损伤。本研究表明，亚急性注射ZnO NPs会以剂量依赖性方式诱发心脏功能障碍和病理病变，并增加氧化应激，这可能是ZnO NPs对心肌细胞产生毒性作用的可能机制。

原始参考文献： Hussein, AA et al.科学代表。 14、15416 (2024)