Histological modifications of the rat prostate following oral administration of silver nanoparticles

Background and aims: Recently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received much attention for their possible usage in various fields. This study examined the effect of AgNPs on the histopathological changes in the prostate of rats. Methods: In this study, 40 male adult Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups (n=8 in each group). AgNPs were given orally to the four experimental groups at doses of 30, 125, 300, and 700 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days. The control group received deionized water. After performing hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining and Masson’s trichrome staining, the histological changes in the prostate of rats were evaluated. Results: Histological evaluation showed that the acinar epithelial height and alveolar folds decreased, but vacuoles in the epithelial cells and accumulation of blood vessel increased in the groups treated with AgNPs at doses of 30 and 125 mg/kg. The collagen content also increased significantly in these groups (30 mg/kg: P=0.03 and 125 mg/kg: P=0.002). Furthermore, the groups treated with AgNPs at doses of 300 and 700 mg/kg showed relative normalization acini and epithelial lining and the amount of their content. Conclusion: According to the results of current study, oral administration of AgNPs for 28 days had effects on prostate, indicating the toxicity of AgNPs.