Safe and symptomatic medicinal use of surface-functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles for hyperbilirubinemia treatment in mice

Abstract

Aim: Testing the potential of citrate-capped Mn3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) as a therapeutic agent for alternative rapid treatment of hyperbilirubinemia through direct removal of bilirubin (BR) from blood in mice. Materials & methods: NPs were synthesized and the mechanism of BR degradation in presence and absence of biological macromolecules were characterized in vitro. To test the in vivo BR degradation ability of NPs, CCl4-intoxicated mice were intraperitoneally injected with NPs. Results: We demonstrated ultrahigh efficacy of the NPs in symptomatic treatment of hyperbilirubinemia for rapid reduction of BR in mice compared with conventional medicine silymarin without any toxicological implications. Conclusion: These findings may pave the way for practical clinical use of the NPs as safe medication of hyperbilirubinemia in human subjects.