Toxicity of halloysite nanotubes in liver of mice after oral administration

Halloysite is widely used in many fields due to its natural hollow nanotubular structure. To assess the liver toxicity of the purified halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in mice via oral route, purified HNTs were orally administered to mice at 4, 20 and 100 mg/kg BW body weight (BW) every day for 30 d. Oral administration of HNTs stimulates the growth of the mice at low dose (4 mg/kg BW) with no liver toxicity, but inhibits the growth of the mice and induces oxidative stress in the liver at high dose (≥20 mg/kg BW). In addition, oral administration of HNTs at high dose causes Al accumulation in liver, which induces hepatic dysfunction and histopathologic changes.