Counteracting titanium dioxide nanoparticle hepatotoxicity with ginseng: Modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in a rat model

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO<sub>2</sub>-NPs) are widely used in various domains of nanotechnology, raising concerns about their potential hepatotoxic effects. Ginseng is widely used as an alternative medicine and natural therapy for the prevention and/or treatment of various ailments, as it has anti-pyretic, anti-allergic, and immunostimulant activities. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of ginseng against TiO<sub>2</sub>-NP toxicity in the livers of male rats. Thirty-five mature male albino rats were divided into five groups of seven rats each at random. Group I served as the control group; Group II received 200 mg/kg BW of ginseng; Group III received 200 mg/kg BW of TiO<sub>2</sub>-NP; Group IV served as the protective group, and Group V served as the treatment group. Upon experiment completion, serum samples and liver tissues were obtained, which were dissected for biochemical and pathological investigations. TiO<sub>2</sub>-NP ingestion increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and altered liver function tests, while reducing glutathione (GSH). It promotes upregulation of cysteine-aspartic acid protease (Caspase3) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) gene expression, while downregulating glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mRNA expression. Furthermore, TiO<sub>2</sub>-NP led to degenerative alterations in the hepatic tissue. Conclusively, ginseng can mitigate the hepatotoxicity induced by TiO2-NP in male albino rats.