Nano-curcumin mitigates aluminum oxide nanoparticle toxicity in Nile tilapia through antioxidant and immune modulation.

Authors

Sahr B Mahmoud, Maha M Rashad, Ghada E Ali, Eman Ragab, Omaima Ahmed, Fady Sayed Youssef, Ola Hasan Abd El Megeed

Published in

Fish physiology and biochemistry. Volume 52. Issue 2. Mar 11, 2026. Epub Mar 11, 2026.

Abstract

Our study investigated the toxicological effects of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al₂O₃-NPs) and the potential protective role of dietary nano-curcumin (N-CUR) in juvenile Oreochromis niloticus (30.39 ± 0.05 g) under controlled experimental conditions. It was hypothesized that N-CUR could mitigate the adverse impacts of Al₂O₃-NPs on growth, biochemical, oxidative, and histopathological parameters. A total of 180 O. niloticus were divided into six groups: a control group, two N-CUR-supplemented diets (40 and 50 mg/kg), an Al₂O₃-NP-exposed group (10 mg/L), and two co-treated groups receiving both treatments for 4 weeks. Growth performance, biochemical, immunological, antioxidant, and histopathological parameters were assessed. Exposure to Al₂O₃-NPs markedly reduced growth indices and survivability while elevating ALT activity and pro-inflammatory gene expression (TNFα, IL1β, MT). Antioxidant genes (CAT and SOD) were significantly downregulated, and histopathological lesions, including hyperemia, hyperplasia, and vacuolization, were evident. Conversely, N-CUR co-supplementation significantly improved growth (14.5%-46.1%), feed efficiency (46.7%-74.1%), and specific growth rate (219%-605%). It also reduced ALT (37.7%-40.1%) and enhanced albumin, A/G ratio, and IgM levels (P < 0.05). Overall, these findings indicate that dietary N-CUR attenuated Al₂O₃-NP-induced oxidative and inflammatory stress, thereby improving the biochemical and histological health of O. niloticus. Hence, these outcomes provide a mechanistic proof of dietary N-CUR's protective role against toxicity induced by Al₂O₃-NPs, indicating the need for further investigation in exposure scenarios that are relevant to the environment.

PMID:
41811560
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Oct 2026.

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