Background and Objective: Colchicine depolymerizes microtubules and reduces their diamagnetic capacity. We investigated the effect of a static magnetic field (SMF) and the Fe2O3 NPs on the Paramecium caudatum exposed to colchicine.
Materials and Methods: The samples were collected from temporary water sources and after identifying the species, were cultured in the laboratory. They were also sub-cultured at regular intervals (7-10 days) for purification. From pure culture, several samples were placed in the laboratory or under SMF with an intensity of 61 mT for 3 days. To evaluate the effect of materials in comparison with distilled water (control), a sample (0.1 ml) of each medium was placed on a slide and exposed to 1 μl of distilled water or volume-concentrations of colchicine (0.05 to 25 μg/μl) or Fe2O3 NPs (0.05 to 3 μg/μl). The effect of different concentrations of Fe2O3 NPs in accompany with the field was also investigated. The movement of the animal was examined for 30 sec under a constant view and the sample was fixed for staining and study at the cellular level. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance.
Results: Colchicine at high concentrations (15 and 25 μg/μl) significantly reduced the motility of Paramecium caudatum. Magnetic field, but not NPs, alone reduced cell motility. Co-exposure to particles completely improved cell motility due to exposure to colchicine, however, in animals initially housed in the magnetic field, the healing effect of the particles was impaired.
Conclusion: The protective effects of NPs may depend on the diamagnetic capacity of the microtubule.