Acute oral toxicity and repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity studies of MIL-101 nanoparticles

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) nanoparticles are a class of porous crystalline materials constructed from the bonding metal ions or clusters linked with organic ligands to form frameworks. MIL-101(Cr), one of the most representative MOFs, is a three-dimensional chromium terephthalate-base porous material consisted of chromium (III)-trimers cross-linked by 1,4-benzene dicarboxylate. The present study focused on determining the safety of MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle. The acute oral toxicity and 28-day oral toxicity in mice were investigated. An acute oral toxicity test of MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle for female mice showed that no mortality or any significant change observed at 2000 mg/kg body weight. A dose-dependent 28-day oral toxicity evaluation of MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle for male and female mice revealed no significant effects on mortality, feed consumption, body weight, organ weight, and behavior. Assessments of hematology, clinical biochemistry, and histopathology revealed no adverse effects in mice treated with MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle (10–1000 mg/kg). These results suggest that MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle has no significant acute and subacute toxicity. The no observed adverse effect level of MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticle was defined as at least 1000 mg/kg/day orally for 28 days for male and female mice.