Revolutionizing cancer therapies: tin-doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles for oxidative stress mitigation and safe applications in mice models

Objective(s): Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field with broad applications across medicine, biology, chemistry, and engineering, largely due to nanoparticles' unique physical and chemical properties. In cancer treatment, nanoparticles offer significant potential for both diagnosis and therapy. This study synthesized tin-doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles (Sn-doped ZnS NPs) and undoped zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) to explore their therapeutic effects on the brain, kidney, and liver of mice.Materials and Methods: The nanoparticles were synthesized using a wet chemical method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Biological evaluations were performed by administering ZnS and Sn-doped ZnS NPs to BALB/c mice. These assessments included measurements of organ weights, oxidative stress biomarkers such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzyme activities such as catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and histopathological analysis of key organs.Results and Conclusions: Sn-doped ZnS NPs demonstrated enhanced structural and optical properties, along with significant antioxidant effects, without causing notable toxicity in vital organs. These findings suggest that Sn-doped ZnS NPs have strong potential for therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer treatment, and warrant further investigation to elucidate their mechanistic roles and long-term safety.