Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles from Garlic Peel Target NF-κB and Redox Imbalance: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy Against Pyrogallol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

Hepatotoxicity remains a major therapeutic challenge driven by oxidative stress and inflammation. This study investigated the hepatoprotective potential of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles derived from ethanolic garlic peel extract (GPE-Ag) against pyrogallol-induced liver injury.

METHODS

Adult rats were randomly assigned into four groups: a control group, a pyrogallol-treated group, a group receiving GPE-Ag nanoparticles (50 mg/kg, orally) for 28 days, and GPE-Ag + pyrogallol co-treated.

RESULTS

The garlic peel extract was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), revealing high levels of phenolic acids (66.83 µg/g) and flavonoids (59.81 µg/g), predominantly ellagic, gallic, and syringic acids, along with kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. The synthesized GPE-Ag nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), zeta potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). GPE-Ag treatment markedly attenuated pyrogallol-induced hepatic injury by reducing serum liver enzyme levels, lipid peroxidation, and proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), while enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). Histological examination further confirmed the restoration of normal hepatic architecture.

CONCLUSION

This study provides the first evidence that garlic peel-derived silver nanoparticles exert potent hepatoprotective effects through redox homeostasis restoration and modulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings highlight GPE-Ag as a promising, sustainable nanotherapeutic candidate for managing chemically induced liver injury.