Protective effect of starch-stabilized selenium nanoparticles against the hepato-renal melamine-induced toxicity in male albino rats

Melamine and its analogues are illegally added to falsify the content of protein in food products. The elevated concentrations of these compounds cause harmful effects in humans and animals. In this contribution, the potential ability of synthesized starch-stabilized selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs@starch) towards inhibiting the toxicity of melamine on the liver and kidneys has been systematically investigated. The Se-NPs@starch were characterized by XPS analysis, EDS mapping analysis, TEM, and FT-IR. Starch plays a crucial role in the stabilization and dispersion of Se NPs, as noticed from the TEM and EDS investigations. Furthermore, the atomic ratio of Se distribution over starch surface is approximately 1.67%. To evaluate the activity of Se-NPs@starch, this study was conducted on four groups of adult male rats. Group I (the control group), group II received Se-NPs@starch, group III received melamine, whereas group IV received melamine and Se-NPs@starch. The results reveal a significant alteration in the histoarchitecture of both hepatic and renal tissues induced by melamine. While melamine induces severe toxic effects on the hepatic and renal tissues, the administration of Se-NPs@starch results in remarkable protection of rats against melamine-induced toxicity. Collectively, the affordable starch-stabilized Se-NPs have a potent biological activity, making them auspicious candidates for biomedical applications.