Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that causes hepatotoxicity even in trace amounts. This study investigated the therapeutic
potential of coriander extract-loaded selenium nanoparticles (coriander@Se-NPs) against Pb toxicity in a mouse model,
comparing its efficacy to the benchmark standard chelator, DMSA. The effectiveness of coriander extract, coriander@Se-
NPs, and synthetic chelator (DMSA) was evaluated. The study groups contain: a control group receiving distilled water, a
Pb toxicity group given Pb-acetate at 150 mg/kg, a positive control group treated with DMSA after Pb exposure, and two
groups receiving coriander extract or coriander@Se-NPs after Pb exposure, both at 200 mg/kg daily for three weeks. Our
results demonstrated that the coriander@Se-NPs significantly reduced hepatic Pb concentrations (83.90%) and restored
antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT) more effectively than DMSA. Notably, coriander@Se-NPs exhibited potent
anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, evidenced by a 12.5-fold reduction in IL-6 and the suppression of Caspase 3
to sub-normal levels (0.399-fold). Furthermore, the coriander@Se-NPs treatment stabilized Beclin 1 levels, suggesting a
restoration of cellular autophagy homeostasis. These findings indicate that coriander@Se-NPs provide a superior, multimodal
protective shield against heavy metal poisoning compared to traditional synthetic chelators, DMSA, highlighting
their potential as a high-efficacy nanomedicine for clinical toxicology. Further studies are needed to explore its potential
clinical applications and mechanisms. |
