Objective To observe the oxidative injury of myocardium in mice induced by nano graphene oxide.

Methods Eighty healthy male and female ICR mice were randomly divided into four groups. Nano grapheme oxide was dissolved in sterile pure water under aseptic conditions, and it was injected intravenously only for once; the dose for each group was 0, 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 mg/kg, respectively. Forty mice were sacrificed 3 days and 15 days after the injection, and the heart muscle of mice was collected to measure malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px).

Results At 3 days after injection, the levels of MDA in all nano grapheme oxide groups were higher than that in the control group both in male and female mice (P < 0.05); T-AOCs in high dose groups were obviously lower than that in other groups(P < 0.05); SOD activities in all nano grapheme oxide groups were higher than that in the control group both in male and female mice (P < 0.05) and a dose-effect relationship was shown in female mice; the activities of GSH-Px in all nano grapheme oxide groups were higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At 15 days after injection, MDA contents in the middle and high dose groups were higher than that in the control group both in male and female mice (P < 0.05); T-AOCs in the middle and high dose male groups were obviously lower than that in the control and low dose male groups (P < 0.05), T-AOCs in all nano grapheme oxide female groups were lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05); the activities of SOD in all nano grapheme oxide groups were higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05) and were rising with the dose of nano grapheme oxide in male and female mice (P < 0.05); the activities of GSH-Px in all nano grapheme oxide groups were higher than that in the control group both in male and female mice (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Intravenous injection of unmodified nano grapheme oxide might induce lipid peroxidation injury of myocardium in mice.