Toxicity assessment of montmorillonite as a drug carrier for pharmaceutical applications: yeast and rats model

This study aims to assess the toxicity of montmorillonite (MMT) as a drug carrier for pharmaceutical applications, specifically in the context of its safety for clinical use. Utilizing a rat model, we conducted hematological analyses to compare the effects of oral administration of MMT against a control group receiving PBS buffer. Results indicated significant increases in hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and RBC count (p<0.05), while other metrics such as MCV, MCH, MCHC, and WBC count showed no significant differences (p>0.05). Biochemical analysis revealed a significant decrease in plasma sodium, chloride ions (p<0.05), and calcium (p<0.01) post oral MMT administration. Conversely, intravenous injection of MMT resulted in a significant increase in ALT (p<0.05) and a decrease in potassium levels (p<0.01) compared to controls. Histopathological evaluations of rat tissues indicated normal ranges for both experimental and control groups, suggesting non-toxicity of MMT. In addition, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was utilized as a model for bacterial assessments, with dose-response analyses confirming the safety profile of MMT at various doses. Overall, our findings support the potential use of montmorillonite as a clinically safe drug carrier.