Protective Mechanisms of Quercetin on Cisplatin Induced Oxidative Damage in Hepatic Tissue of Wistar Rats

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the cisplatin (cDDP) induced oxidative damage in hepatic tissue of wistar rats and mechanisms of protection by quercetin. A total of 24 wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups with six animals in each. Group I served as control, group II received cDDP (12 mg kg−1 body weight) and group III quercetin (50 mg kg−1 body weight) intra-peritoneally. Group IV received quercetin 6 h prior to cDDP administration intra-peritoneally. Administration of cDDP in rats resulted in significant (P < 0.05) elevation of plasma hepatic biomarkers, reduction of antioxidant system and marked histopathological alterations indicating acute hepatotoxicity. Treatment with quercetin prior to cDDP administration prevented hepatic dysfunctions as indicated by alterations in hepatic biomarkers, alleviated enzymatic and non-enzymatic components of the antioxidant system with reduced histopathological changes in hepatic tissue. The results suggest that cDDP induced hepatic damage is due to imbalance in oxidant and antioxidant system of hepatic tissue. The pretreatment with quercetin attenuated the oxidative damage induced by cDDP in hepatic tissue and this hepatoprotective effect of quercetin may be due to its direct scavenging of free radicals and/or enhancing antioxidant defense system of hepatic tissue in wistar rats.