Pulmonary Toxicity Induced by Intratracheal Instillation of Graphite Oxide in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Graphite oxide sheets, while highly biocompatible, can also cause adverse effects in various tissues, particularly the lungs, due to their unique physical and chemical properties. This study explored the toxic effects of graphite oxide sheets on the blood and pulmonary tissues of Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-five adult rats were acclimatized for seven days and then randomly assigned to five groups: a control group, a normal saline group, and three treatment groups (G1, G2, G3) receiving intraperitoneal doses of graphite oxide sheets (5.5, 6.5, and 7.5 mg/kg, respectively) on alternate days for 28 days. After the treatment period, the rats were humanely sacrificed, and assessments were carried out for mortality, hematological parameters, and lung histology. Blood, liver, and kidney profiles were analyzed statistically using ANOVA with Minitab software. The results revealed that graphite oxide exposure led to significant hemotoxicity and pulmo-histopathological changes, including alveolar inflammation, hemorrhage, degeneration of the lamina propria, and smooth muscle damage. Overall, the study concludes that graphite oxide sheets induce considerable blood and lung toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats