Table 4.

Comparison of animal studies of AuNPs toxicity.^a

Size (nm)b	Surface coating	Rodent	Administration	Dosage (mg/kg/day)	Duration (days)		Toxicityc	Reference
53	Citrate	Male ICR mice Female ICR mice	Oral	0.2, 2 and 20	90	–		Current study
5 (8.6) 5 (8.7) 5-60 (11.6–89.8)	Citrate PVP Tannic acid	Male C57BL/6 mice	Oral	0.025 0.025 0.015–0.025	8	–		Zhu et al. [33]
13.5	Citrate	Male ICR mice	Oral	0.1375–2.2 1.1	14 28	± ±		Zhang et al. [8]
10–25	Citrate	Male Wistar rats	Oral	0.02	21	+		Rathore et al. [25]
5–15	Citrate	Female SD rats	Oral	0.325–1.3	14	–		Jo et al. [34]
1–25	Polyphenold	Male Wistar rats	Oral	5 and 10	28	-		Mata et al. [35]

^aAuNPs are prepared in spherical shape by reduction of AuClO₄ in citrate solution unless otherwise specified.

^bThe size of citrate coated AuNPs determined by TEM. The number in parenthesis indicates the size determined by DLS.

^cSignificant toxicity, +; no or insignificant toxicity, –; some or ambiguous toxicity, ±.

^dAuNPs (spherical shape) were prepared in plant extract of Abutilon Indicum.