Protective Effect of Quercetin Against Sulphur Mustard-inducedOxidative Stress in Mice

  • Anshoo Gautam Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
  • R. Vijayaraghavan Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
  • S. C. Pant Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
  • Om Kumar Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
  • Seema Singh Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
  • HT Satish Kumar Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
Keywords: Sulphur mustard, quercetin, oxidative stress, glutathione, malondialdehyde, DNA damage, prophylactic agent, chemical warfare agent

Abstract

Sulphur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that causes serious blisters upon contactwith human skin.  SM alkylates DNA and several other macromolecules, and also induces oxidativestress.  Quercetin, a bioflavonoid has wide pharmacological actions. The protective efficacy ofquercetin (100 mg/kg, i.p. and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) was studied by administering three doses in miceagainst SM.  The first dose was administered at 30 min prior, simultaneous, 2 h post or 24 h post,and two more doses on the next two days.  SM was administered (in PEG 300) percutaneouslyat varying doses for survival and protection studies.  SM was also administered at a dose of2 LD50 (19.3 mg/kg) with and without quercetin treatment and various biochemical markers wereestimated 7 days after SM administration.  Histological examinations of vital organs were alsocarried out. The animals administered with SM died at various days depending upon the dose.The body weight decreased significantly. Quercetin protected the mice significantly, in a dose-dependent manner. The protection was better when the first dose of quercetin administered was30 min prior or simultaneously.  A significant decrease in reduced as well as oxidised glutathioneand an increase in malondialdehyde, WBC count, RBC count, and haemoglobin were observedwith 2 LD50 SM. Quercetin at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg doses significantly protected the biochemicalmarkers when the first dose of quercetin administered was 30 min prior or as simultaneoustreatment.  The histological lesions induced by sulphur mustard on liver, spleen, and skin werealso significantly protected by quercetin when the first dose was administered 30 min prior oras simultaneous treatment. The present study shows that percutaneous administration of SMinduces oxidative stress and quercetin can protect it as a prophylactic agent.
Published
2007-09-01
How to Cite
Gautam, A., Vijayaraghavan, R., Pant, S., Kumar, O., Singh, S., & Kumar, H. (2007). Protective Effect of Quercetin Against Sulphur Mustard-inducedOxidative Stress in Mice. Defence Science Journal, 57(5), 707-720. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.57.1807
Section
Biomedical Sciences

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>