Oral Toxicity and Intestinal Transport Mechanism of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticle-Treated Red Ginseng.
(1) Background: Application of nanotechnology or nanomaterials in agricultural food crops has attracted increasing attention with regard to improving crop production, quality, and nutrient utilization. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been reported to enhance seed yield, germination rate, and anti-oxidant potential in food crops, raising concerns about their toxicity potential. In this study, we evaluated the oral toxicity of red ginseng exposed to colloidal Au-NPs during cultivation (G-red ginseng) in rats and their intestinal transport mechanism. (2) Methods: 14-day repeated oral administration of G-red ginseng extract to rats was performed, and body weight, hematological, serum biochemical, and histopathological values were analyzed. An in vitro model of human intestinal follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) and an intestinal epithelial monolayer system were used for intestinal transport mechanistic study. (3) Results: No remarkable oral toxicity of G-red ginseng extract in rats was found, and Au-NPs did not accumulate in any organ, although Au-NP transfer to G-red ginseng and some increased saponin levels were confirmed. Au-NPs were transcytozed by microfold (M) cells, but not by a paracellular pathway in the intestinal epithelium. (4) Conclusion: These findings suggest great potential of Au-NPs for agricultural food crops at safe levels. Further study is required to elucidate the functional effects of Au-NPs on ginseng and long-term toxicity.
Division of Applied Food System, Major of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Korea. songhwa29@naver.com.
Song-Hwa
SH
Bae
Division of Applied Food System, Major of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Korea. ky5031@swu.ac.kr.
Jin
J
Yu
Division of Applied Food System, Major of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Korea. miran8190@naver.com.
Mi-Ran
MR
Go
Division of Applied Food System, Major of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Korea. kimhj043@naver.com.
Hyun-Jin
HJ
Kim
SMNANOBIO Co., Ltd., Daejeon 34028, Korea. ykhwang80@gmail.com.
Yun-Gu
YG
Hwang
Division of Applied Food System, Major of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Korea. sjchoi@swu.ac.kr.
Soo-Jin
SJ
Choi
gold nanoparticle; oral toxicity; red ginseng; transport mechanism