CURATIVE POTENTIAL OF QUERCETIN AGAINST CARBON TETRA CHLORIDE-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

Several studies have revealed that extensive metabolic involvement of liver has rendered the liver susceptible against the xenobiotics' devastating effects. Serving as the most potent oxidative stress mediated hepatotoxic agent via reductive CYP2E1 mediated activation, CCl4 leads to trichloromethyl-radical (CCl3-) and trichloromethyl peroxy (CCl3OO-) radicals' production with subsequent hepatocyte-damage progression. The present investigation was therefore, aimed to investigate the potential of a dietary flavonol, Quercetin against CCl4 induced chronic hepatotoxicity. 60-days experimental protocol was conducted using 24 male Wistar rats. Animals were divided into four groups. I; Control, II; (CCl4-treated) received 0.8 ml/kg BW twice weekly, III; (CCl4+Quercetin treated) received CCl4, 0.8 ml/kg BW twice weekly and 1 ml/kg quercetin extract (daily, p.o.) and IV; (Quercetin treated) received 1 ml/kg quercetin extract (daily, p.o.). Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alanine aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Bilirubin, Malondialdehyde were assessed. Antioxidant evaluation (Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione, and Catalase) and hepatic histopathological investigation was done. The ALT, AST and Bilirubin levels were significantly reduced in the CCl4+Quercetin-treated group as compared to the CCl4-treated group. Significant elevation was observed in the SOD, GSH and Catalase levels in the CCl4+Quercetin-treated group as compared to the CCl4-treated group. Quercetin administration with CCl4 resulted in reversal of the hepatotoxicity features through reduction in the elevated-enzymes level, lipid peroxidation as well as through raising the decreased antioxidant levels to near normal.