Physiological and Hormonal Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Thyroid Function and the Impact on Bodyweight in Male Rats

Abstract

Fifty-four Sprague-Dawley albino adult male rats were classified into three main groups each of 18 rats treated for a particular duration (1,2, and 4) weeks respectively. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups each of six rats treated as follows; group (1) serve as normal control, group (2, and 3) intra-peritoneal treated with TiO2NPs (50,200) mg/kg respectively, body *weight of all rats was measured before and after the experiment, then rats were dissected at the end of each experiment and the weights of the thyroid was measured. The result showed a highly significant decrease (p<0.01) in thyroid gland weight, a highly significant increase (p<0.01) in body weights and TSH, while a highly significant decrease (p<0.01) inT3 and T4 was observed in all different doses (50,200) mg/kg at durations 1,2 and 4 weeks. So, this study confirms body weight gain is associated with thyroid dysfunction.