Protective Effects of Quercetin and Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the protective effects of Quercetin and Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), as compared to standard agent N-acetylcysteine (NAC), on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced injury in rats. Briefly, rats were divided into five groups, namely sham control, IR control, NAC, Quercetin and UDCA groups. Assessed biomarkers included serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and total bilirubin (tBil) as hepatocyte integrity parameters, serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-II (COX-II) and Lipooxygenase (LOX), and hepatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) and nitric oxide end products (NOx) as inflammatory biomarkers, hepatic malondialdhyde (MDA), glutathione reduced (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) as oxidative stress biomarkers, and finally hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as energy store biomarker. To confirm results of biochemical estimations, a histopathological study was conducted. Results showed that Quercetin and UDCA significantly reduced hepatocyte injury evidenced by significant reductions in serum ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, tBil, TNF-α, IL-6, COX-II and LOX levels, significant reductions in hepatic MPO, NOx and MDA levels, and significant elevations in hepatic GSH, CAT, SOD, GST and ATP levels. Quercetin effect was significantly better than UDCA effect on most parameters. Histopathological findings strongly supported results of biochemical estimations. In conclusion, Quercetin and UDCA, with Quercetin being better, can protect against hepatic IR injury in rats, at least through anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and energypreserving effects, and may be promising for further clinical trials.