Spherical neutral gold nanoparticles improve anti-inflammatory response, oxidative stress and fibrosis in alcohol-methamphetamine-induced liver injury in rats.

This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and antifibrotic effects of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in rats subjected to liver injury with ethanol and Methamphetamine (METH). The liver injury was induced by gavage administrations of 30% alcoholic solution (7 g/kg) once a day during 28 days, followed by METH (10 mg/kg) on the 20th and 28th days of treatment. GNPs treatment (724.96 µg/kg) during the ethanol and METH exposure was associated with reduced steatosis, hepatic cord degeneration, fibrosis and necrosis. Furthermore, there was a reduction in biochemical markers of liver damage and oxidative stress, and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α, compared to ethanol + METH group alone. A decrease of FGF, SOD-1 and GPx-1 expression was also observed. GNPs down-regulated the activity of Kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells affecting the profile of their pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and fibrosis through modulation of signaling pathways AKT/PI3K and MAPK in ethanol + METH-induced liver injury in a rat model.