Silver Nanoparticles and L-Cysteine Composite Redresses Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Swiss Albino Rats.

l-cysteine is a versatile amino acid that plays a pivotal role in synthesizing critical molecules, enzymatic catalysis, regulation, and electron transport. It also has tremendous potential to act as an adjuvant for enhancing the biological efficacy of various nanoparticles in vivo. The current study is aimed to evaluate the protective efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) decorated with l-cysteine in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in the Swiss albino rats as an animal model. The rats were divided into four treatment groups: Group 1 (control without any treatments), Group 2 treated with AgNPs and l-cysteine composite (5 mg/kg body weight on every third day), Group 3 (single dose of 1 mL/kg CCl4), and Group 4 treated with AgNPs-l-cysteine composite in the rats pre-administered with CCl4. After treatment for a month, the rats were killed, and their liver and blood samples were subjected to biochemical analysis and histological examination.: Group 2 showed all the parameters comparable to control Group 1. On the contrary, CCl4-treated, Group 3 rats showed abnormally raised liver function markers (AST and ALT) and liver toxicity markers (GGT, LDH, and total bilirubin) concomitant with disturbed oxidative stress parameters (GSH and MDA) compared to the control. However, Group 4 rats demonstrated a significant recovery from CCl4-induced biochemical alteration in the animals as compared to Group 3. In addition, the biochemical measurements were harmonious with the histological analysis of the liver sections of the treated rats. Hence, the proposed AgNPs-l-cysteine composite is a potent hepato-protecting agent in vivo that can be employed in regulating CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity or any drug or potential pharmaceutical compound exerting similar toxicity.