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BackgroundEvaluations of silver in both nanoparticle (Ag-NPs) and ionic forms indicate some adverse effects on living organisms, but little is known about their potential for developmental toxicity. In this study, developmental toxicity of Ag-NPs (from 0.2 to 20 mg/kg/day) and ionic Ag (AgNO3, 20 mg Ag/kg/day) were investigated in rats.MethodsAnimals were dosed by gavage from gestation day 7 − 20. The day after parturition, dams and pups were sacrificed and Ag level assessed in several maternal and pup organs. In addition, hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress parameters and histopathology were evaluated.ResultsNo treatment related effects were found for gestational parameters including pregnancy length, maternal weight gain, implantations, birth weight and litter size at any dose level of Ag-NPs. Maternal weight gain was lower in dams receiving AgNO3 compared to the other groups, suggesting that the ionic form may exert a higher degree of toxicity compared to the NP form. Tissue contents of Ag were higher in all treated groups compared to control dams and pups, indicating transfer of Ag across the placenta. The findings furthermore suggest that Ag may induce oxidative stress in dams and their offspring, although significant induction was only observed after dosing with AgNO3. Histopathological examination of brain tissue revealed a high incidence of hippocampal sclerosis in dams treated with nanoparticle as well as ionic Ag.ConclusionThe difference in offspring deposition patterns between ionic and NP Ag and the observations in dam brain tissue, requires scrutiny, and, if corroborated, indicate that ionic and NP forms maybe need separate risk assessments and that the hazard ratings of silver in both ionic and nanoparticle forms should be increased, respectively.Trial registrationNot applicable.Graphical abstractDevelopmental Toxicity of Ag-NPs.

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Energy drinks (ED) are containing large doses of metabolic stimulants and its use with ethanol has increased dramatically among young adults. In this study, we examined the effects of ED exposure either alone or in combination with ethanol on oxidative stress parameters including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and lipid peroxidation parameter malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat. Some histopathological findings were also evaluated. ED exposure led to a dose-dependent increase in liver MDA compared to the control indicating oxidative damage. Histopathological findings also revealed that ED alone may generate liver damage. Ethanol exposure increased MDA level and SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activity in both the brain and the liver. The combination of ethanol and ED produced greater damage which is considered by further increases in SOD and GSH-Px activity in the brain. Similar results for MDA were observed in both the liver and brain as well. Our findings suggest that ED consumption alone or combination with ethanol may represent a significant public health concern.

Toxic metals are one of the significant groups of chemical contaminants that humans are exposed to by oral, inhalation, and dermal routes. Exposure to these chemicals begins with intrauterine life and continues during lactation period at the first years of life. Breastfeeding has a much more special place than other nutrition options for infants. However, when possibility of contaminant transfer by breast milk is considered, its safety and quality is essential. Regarding infant and mother health and limited number of information on this field in Turkey, measuring contamination levels in breast milk is important. Therefore, in the present study, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and arsenic (As) levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry in 64 breast milk samples obtained from mothers from Ankara, Turkey. Pb and Ni levels in breast milk samples were found to be 391.45±269.01 μg/l and 43.94±33.82 μg/l (mean ± SD), respectively. Cd was found only in one of 64 samples, and the level was 4.62 μg/l. As level was below the limit of quantification (LOQ, 7.6 μg/l) in all samples. These findings will accurately direct strategies and solutions of protection against contaminants in order to reduce their levels in biological fluids.

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poisoning due to amygdalin (AMY) in apricot seeds is one of the public health issues in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the AMY content of 13 different apricot seeds including bitter and sweet ones, and which are either sulfurized or roasted. The AMY content was determined by a highperformance liquid chromatography. Release of HCN was predicted and total amount of seeds which can cause poisoning was calculated. The mean AMY content of bitter seeds was 26 § 14 mg g ¡1 and that of sweet seeds was 0.16 § 0.09 mg g ¡1 . The consumption of small amounts of bitter seeds may cause cyanide poisoning.

Context: Black tea has been reported to have significant antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties associated with its polyphenols theaflavins (TF) and thearubigins (TR). Similarly, Turkish black tea (TBT) also contains a considerable amount of TF and TR.Objective: This study investigated the mutagenic, antimutagenic and anticlastogenic properties of TBT.Materials and methods: The mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of TBT (10 to 40000 μg/plate) were investigated in vitro on Salmonella strains TA98 and TA100 with and without S9 fraction. Anticlastogenic effect was studied at concentrations of 300–1200 mg/kg TBT extract by chromosomal aberrations (CA) assay from bone marrow of mice.Results: The results of this study did not reveal any mutagenic properties of TBT. On the contrary, TBT extract exhibited antimutagenic activity at >1000 μg/plate concentrations in TA98 strain with and without S9 activation (40% inhibition with S9 and 27% without S9). In TA100 strain, the antimutagenic activity was observed at >20,000 μg/plate TBT extracts without S9 activation (28% inhibition) and at >1000 μg/plate with S9 activation (59% inhibition). A significant decrease in the percentage of aberrant cells (12.33% ± 1.27) was observed in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) plus highest concentration (1200 mg/kg) of TBT extract-treated group when compared to only DMBA-treated group (17.00% ± 2.28).Discussion and conclusion: Results indicated that TBT can be considered as genotoxically safe, because it did not exert any mutagenic and clastogenic effects. As a result, TBT exhibited antimutagenic effects more apparently after metabolic activation in bacterial test system and had an anticlastogenic effect in mice.

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