Table 2 Histological alterations induced in GNPs-treated rats

Figure 1 GNPs-normal rat demonstrating benign looking hepatic lobule and hepatocytes surrounding a central vein

Figure 2 GNPs-treated rat received 50 μl of 10 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: Congested central vein with portal infiltrated by chronic inflammatory cells (40 × 3); Liver section showed widely dilated congested central vein (40 × 7); necrotic hepatocytes (100 × 3)

Figure 3 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 10 nm particles for 7 days demonstrating: Liver section widely dilated congested central vein (40 × 3) with hepatocytes disarray and cloudy swelling of liver hepatocytes (40 × 5)

Figure 4 GNPs-treated rat received 50 μl of 20 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: lobular infiltrate by chronic inflammatory cells (40 × 3) congested hepatic sinusoids containing red blood cells (40 x4)

Figure 5 GNPs-treated rat received 50 μl of 10 nm particles for 7 days demonstrating dilated congested blood sinusoids (40 × 2)

Figure 6 GNPs-treated rat received 50 μl of 50 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: Widely dilated congested central vein with dilated congested liver sinusoids with hepatocytes cloudy swelling (40 × 1); Fatty degeneration focally affecting the liver lobules (40 × 10) and (40 × 8); Fatty degeneration focally affecting the liver lobules (100 × 2)

Figure 7 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 10 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: Liver hepatocytes with lobular lymphocytic infiltrate (40 × 1); prominent diffuse fatty degeneration (40 × 3) & (100 × 3); prominent diffuse fatty degeneration (40 × 3) & (100 × 3); congested dilated blood sinusoids (40 × 9); scattered fatty degeneration of liver hepatocytes with focus of inflammatory cells infiltrate of liver lobules; diffuse fatty degeneration

Figure 8 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 10 nm particles for 7 days demonstrating: Dilated congested blood vessels (100 × 1); congested blood sinusoids (40 × 4); fatty degeneration of liver hepatocytes (100 × 2); increased sinusoidal Kupffer cells (100 × 4)

Figure 9 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 20 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: Inflammatory cells infiltrate of liver lobules and dilated congested central vein (40 × 4)

Figure 10 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 20 nm particles for 7 days demonstrating: Liver hepatocytes with binucleated cells (100 × 1); dilated congested central vein (40 × 2)

Figure 11 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 50 nm particles for 3 days demonstrating: Scattered lobular inflammatory cells infiltrate (40 × 7) and (100 × 8); scattered few cloudy swellings on (40 × 8)

Figure 12 GNPs-treated rat received 100 μl of 50 nm particles for 7 days demonstrating: No major pathological effect seen. Just few liver hepatocytes with binucleation or even trinuclei noticed; no other effects (100 × 2)