An experimental study on gross and histopathological changes in nanonickel administered Wistar rats

A study was conducted to understand the effects of nanonickel on Wistar rat. The Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups control and treated. The control group was fed with normal standard recommended feed while treated group exposed to nanonickel through oral route by gavazing for three months. The gross pathological study of experimental Wistar rats in different groups was done after sacrifice of the rats at the end of experiment (3 months post treatment). In histopathological studies, there were no significant histopathological changes in organs of group I rats throughout the period of study, while in group II rats liver exhibited hyperplasia of Kupffer cells, necrosis of hepatocytes and sinusoidal dilatation also demonstrated hepatocyte injury, fatty infiltration and lymphocyte infiltration, blood sinusoidal dilation, enhanced Kupffer cells and extensive liver cytoplasm vacuolisation. The findings of this study have shown that nanonickel has a major adverse effect on the kidney tissue. The nanonickel could have stimulated the intracellular defence mechanism of the animal and thus disturbed the normal architecture of the kidney. In group II, microscopically, kidney showed swelling of glomerulus with loss of Bowman’s space. Lungs of group II rats showed congestion, emphysema, atelectasis and infiltration of mononuclear cells in interalveolar space, thickening of alveolar septa.