Skin histological development in rat embryos exposed to chitosan nanoparticles

Chitosan is a natural nontoxic biopolymer derived by the deacetylation of chitin. Chitosan and its derivatives have attracted considerable interest due to their antimicrobial and antifungal activity.1–3 Chitosan exhibits its antibacterial activity only in an acidic medium because of its poor solubility above pH6.5.4 The antibacterial activity of chitosan is influenced by a number of factors that include the type of chitosan, the degree of chitosan polymerization and some of its other physicochemical properties. The present study was conducted to investigate the damage induced by chitosan nanoparticles at various concentrations on embryonic skin histogenesis . Material and methods: chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized via the ionotropic gelation of chitosan with TPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) anions. . Laboratory pregnant wistar albino rats were injected with different bolus doses of chitposan nanoparticles intraperitoneally and rat pups were dissected after delivery . skin tissues from rats pups were examined histologically and compared to control animals. Results: histological examination of all tissues in both groups shows gradual cytotoxic effect of chitosan nanoparticles reaching extreme histological damage with increased bolus dose. Skin damage included hemorrhaging and distruption of epidermal layers. a decrease in epidermal thickness between the control group and the groups treated with different cyclophosphoamide concentrations Conclusion: This study concludes that chitosan nanoparticles have a strong cytotoxic effect on rat embryonic skin histogensis . Morphological appearance shows variable cell changes to include apoptotic changes as well as nuclear damage. Cytotoxic effect and histological damage is confirmed by the gradual decrease in epidermal thickness of rat pups as well the profound histological changes that is seen in various organs of rat pups.