Sodium alginate and gum acacia hydrogels of zinc oxide nanoparticles reduce hemolytic and oxidative stress inflicted by zinc oxide nanoparticles on mammalian cells.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles are important nanomaterials currently under research due to their applicability in nanomedicine. Toxicity of ZnO NPs has been extensively studied and has been shown to affect various cell types and animal systems. In this study, we investigated hemolytic potential and oxidative stress inflicted by ZnO NPs and ZnO NPs-loaded-sodium alginate-gum acacia hydrogels on horse erythrocytes and African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells. Our study provides a better understanding of the hemolytic and oxidative effects of interaction of ZnO NPs and ZnO NPs released from polymeric hydrogels with the biological system. Remarkable aggregation of erythrocytes was noted in the higher concentration of ZnO NPs treated erythrocytes as compared to erythrocytes treated with ZnO NPs-loaded hydrogels. ZnO NPs-loaded hydrogels treated Vero cells significantly reduced oxidative stress as evidenced by less malondialdehyde production as compared to that of ZnO NPs treated cells. Normal horse erythrocytes when treated with ZnO NPs in in vitro condition undergo oxidative damage, and contribute in augmenting the toxicity. We demonstrated that polymeric ZnO NPs reduced the undesirable effects provoked by ZnO NPs on mammalian cells.