QUERCETIN MITIGATES TOXICITY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS MOTIVATED BY BISPHENOL A IN LIVER OF MALE RATS

Abstract

Objective: Epidemiological reports have indicated a correlation between the increasing of bisphenol A (BPA) levels in the environment and the incidence of hepatotoxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of quercetin on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers in the liver tissue of the bisphenol A treated rats. Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into six groups; Group(1): Negative control group (Con), Group(2): Corn oil control group orally administered 1 ml of corn oil/rat daily for two months (Corn), Group(3): Olive oil control group orally administered 1 ml olive oil/rat daily for two months (Olive), Group(4): Quercetin (Qu) control group orally received Qu dissolved in olive oil (50 mg/kg b. wt.) daily for two months (Qu). Group(5): Positive control group orally received Bisphenol A (BPA) dissolved in corn oil in a dose of 50 mg/kg b. wt. daily for two months (BPA), Group(6): Quercetin treated group orally administered 50 mg/kg b. wt. of BPA and treated with Qu (50 mg/kg b. wt. Orally) daily for two months (BPA+Qu). Results: BPA exposure resulted in significant elevations of oxidative stress, as evidenced by the increased malondialdehyde level and glutathione-S-transferase activity associated with significant decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver tissue. Moreover, BPA caused an up regulation in the values of liver function enzymes. Also, BPA produced a significant elevation in the hepatic Interleuckin-6 (IL-6) and caspase-3 levels with a significant decline in antiapoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) level in liver tissue. Quercetin significantly attenuated the BPA-evoked liver oxidative stress and modulated the activities of liver function enzymes. In addition, treatment of quercetin with BPA resulted in an improvement of IL-6 and caspase-3 levels associated with a significant increase in hepatic protein Bcl2 expression. Conclusion: These data suggest that quercetin protects rat liver from BPA-induced oxidative stress, probably via its antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. So, Quercetin is a promising pharmacological agent for preventing the potential hepatotoxicity of BPA following occupational or environmental exposures.