Cellular toxicity of inorganic hydroxide nanoparticles

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), anionic clays, have attracted increasing interest as nanovehicles for delivering genes, drugs, and bio-active molecules into cells. However, no attempts have been made to evaluate the potential undesirable effects of LDH nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity of LDHs with different chemical compositions (ZnAl- and MgAl-LDH) was systematically evaluated in various cell types, such as human normal cells, carcinoma cells, and red blood cells, by measuring cell viability, cell proliferation, membrane damage, and hemolytic effect. No significant cytotoxic effects could be seen in both cases, but ZnAI-LDH was determined to be slightly more toxic than MgAI-LDH in terms of membrane damage and hemolysis induction. It is, therefore, expected that LDHs could be promising candidates for novel inorganic drug delivery carriers.