Abstract
Sodium nitrite is used as a preservative in food products to stabilize color and reduce rancidity. Its absorption into the body causes many diseases. Ellagic acid is a natural polyphenol that contains powerful antioxidants, but it is taken as a poorly absorbed food. Therefore, chitosan-coated nanoparticles (EANP@CS) were loaded to enhance their bioactivity and bioavailability after oral administration. EANP@CS was administrated in rats given water containing sodium nitrite to reduce toxins. Ellagic acid was extracted from pomegranate and manufactured EANP@CS. EANP@CS was identified by FT-IR, UV, X-ray diffraction and TEM. Average EANP@CS size ranges from 20-62 nm. Rats were divided into five groups: normal, treated using EANP@CS; rats were receiving nitrite for 8 weeks, and the last two groups were treated with EANP@CS. Serum and liver NO, MDA, and DNA fragmentation were reduced. Liver thiol and GSH levels, and Gpx, catalase and GST activities increased in rats treated with EANP@CS rats compared to rats drinking nitrites. Liver NOS activity was reduced 7 and 4.9 times in rats treated with EANP@CS during or after discontinuation of nitrite administration, respectively. Liver arginase activity was raised in rats that drink nitrite or were treated using EANP@CS. Inflammatory infiltrations of the liver, kidney, and spleen were observed in the tissues of rats that received nitrites and improved when the rats were given EANP@CS. EANP@CS improved oral bioavailability and reduce the risk of sodium nitrite in rats. EANP@CS can be used as a therapeutic goal to detoxify any unwanted toxic substance in food.