Assessment of the biological effect of natural silicon when entering the body of experimental animals with drinking water. Part 1

Introduction. The biological effect of natural silicon (Si) and its hygienic regulation in drinking water still remain subjects of controversy in the scientific literature and in the practice of providing favourable conditions for water use by the population. In this regard, an assessment was made of the effect of natural silicon contained in drinking water in concentrations close to the maximum permissible concentration on the body of laboratory animals.

Materials and methods. Drinking waters containing natural Si at MPC levels in water were studied, their effect was assessed in a three-month experiment on 80 white outbred male rats. Observations were made of the general condition, appearance of the animals, body weight dynamics, water consumption. The morphological composition of whole blood was studied. Biochemical indices of the condition of internal organs, including the liver, were determined in serum samples (the ALT and AST activity, the level of total protein and albumin), pancreas (α-amylase activity), kidneys (creatinine content), as well as lactate dehydrogenase activity as a nonspecific indicator of tissue damage.

Results. In animals received 17±3.4 mg/L silicon with drinking water at a hardness of 2.25±0.47 mg-eq/L, a significant decrease in ALT activity was found on the 30^th and 90^th days of the experiment, AST — on 90^th day, increase in the content of total protein and albumin in the serum on the 30^th day of the experiment. Drinking water with silicon concentrations of 20.5±4.1 mg/L and hardness 3.55±0.76 mg-eq/L decreased ALT activity and serum creatinine concentration on the 30^th day and increased amylase activity on the 90^th day of the experiment. The animals had the highest water consumption and intake of silicon from drinking water over the first month of the experiment.

Limitations. Limitations of the study are related to the short duration of observation and the small number of points for determining biochemical parameters over time.

Conclusion. Consumption of drinking water containing natural silicon for 90 days led to changes in biochemical indices, largely indicating the positive effect of the element in concentrations of 17±3.4 mg/L and 20.5±4.1 mg/L on the body of laboratory animals.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Center for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks" of the FMBA of Russia, conducted in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrates Used for Experiments or Other Scientific Purposes (ETS N 123), Directive 2010/63/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union dated 09/22/2010 on protection of animals used for scientific purposes.

Contribution:
Egorova N.A. — concept and design of the study, material analysis, writing text, editing;
Rakhmanin Yu.A. — concept and design of the study, editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Mikhailova R.I. — concept and design of the study, editing;
Khripach L.V. — biochemical analysis;
Alekseeva A.V. — research organization;
Ryzhova I.N. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material;
Kochetkova M.G. — collection and processing of material, approval of the final version of the article;
Knyazeva T.D. — biochemical analysis.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: February 15, 2024 / Accepted: March 11, 2024 / Published: April 10, 2024