AMELIORATION OF OXIDATIVE DAMAGE IN BRAIN, TESTES AND HEART OF RATS BY QUERCETIN AND CURCUMIN
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Date
2019-06
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JAU, JUNAGADH
Abstract
The present experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of quercetin and
curcumin against cadmium induced oxidative damage in brain, testes and heart of rats.
The study was conducted on 36 male rats which were randomly divided into six
groups based on their body weights at the age of 8-9 weeks. Rats of group C1 were
kept as normal control. Rats of toxic control group (C2), vehicle group (C3), quercetin
treatment group (T1), curcumin treatment group (T2) and, quercetin and curcumin in
combination treatment group were administered with cadmium in drinking water (100
ppm) for 28 days. Rats of vehicle group (C3) were administered with corn oil
(vehicle). Rats of group T1, T2 and T3 were orally administered with quercetin (50
mg/kg, P.O.), curcumin (100 mg/kg, P.O.) and both quercetin and curcumin in
combination, respectively for 28 days. The symptoms of toxicity, feed consumption,
body weight gain, oxidative stress parameters, AChE activity in the brain cortex,
plasma nitric oxide level, epididymal sperm parameters and gross and
histopathological changes in brain, testes and heart were studied. Noticeable signs of
toxicity were not observed in rats of any groups except hair fall which was less in
other treatment groups. Cadmium exposure in rats had no significant (P>0.05) effect
on feed consumption. The body weight gain was reduced during 4th week only which
was prevented by the treatment of quercetin and curcumin in combination.
In brain cortex, the SOD and CAT activity in brain cortex was slightly
lowered with significant increased level of MDA in rats of cadmium-exposed and
vehicle-treated groups. Quercetin treatment slightly improved SOD and catalase
activity (non-significantly) with significant higher level of GSH in brain cortex which
resulted in lower value of MDA level of brain cortex. Curcumin treatment also
significantly improved SOD activity and GSH level of brain cortex. Animals treated
with quercetin and curcumin in combination increased SOD and catalase activity
along with improved GSH level in brain cortex which resulted in significantly
lowered level of MDA. Quercetin in combination of curcumin showed more
prevention to lipid peroxidation in brain cortex.
In testes, cadmium exposure to animals caused slight increase in SOD activity,
unaltered catalase activity and level of GSH as compared to normal control animals.
The lipid peroxidation in testes was higher. Quercetin treatment was able to increase
CAT activity which resulted in low level of MDA. Curcumin treatment did not
improve oxidative stress parameters. Combined treatment of quercetin and curcumin resulted nearly normal activity of SOD, higher activity of CAT with lowest level of
MDA amongst all groups.
Improved SOD activity in heart with lower level of plasma nitric oxide by
quercetin alone treatment might be responsible for reduction of MDA level (non significant) in the heart of rats. Curcumin treatment could not be able to alter the
cadmium-induced lipid peroxidation in heart of rats. However, quercetin when
administered along with curcumin were able to manage higher activity of SOD and
CAT (non-significant) along with significant GSH stimulating effect resulted in
decrease in MDA level (less lipid peroxidation) in the heart of rats (T3).
Activity of AChE in the brain cortex was non-significantly (P>0.05) decreased
in cadmium-exposed control groups. Group treated with quercetin (T1), curcumin
(T2) and quercetin and curcumin in combination (T3) showed slight higher AChE
activity (non-significant, P>0.05) as compared to that of animals of cadmium-exposed
and vehicle-treated groups (C2 and C3). Plasma nitric oxide level was significantly
(P<0.05) increased in cadmium-exposed and vehicle-treated groups (C2 and C3).
Nitric oxide levels in plasma of rats treated curcumin alone (T2) as well as quercetin
and curcumin (T3) were significantly higher. The oxidative damage following sub acute cadmium exposure at 100 ppm level through oral route was mainly due to
increased level of nitric oxide in rats.
In epididymis, mean values of total epididymal sperm count, epididymal
sperm motility, total epididymal live sperm count were significantly altered in
cadmium-exposed rats which were reversed by the treatment of quercetin, curcumin
alone as well as in combination. Sperm deformities in rats of different groups were
non-significantly differ from each other.
Cadmium exposure for 28 days at 100 ppm caused histopathological
alterations in brain cortex, testes and heart of rats under study. The quercetin and
curcumin when given alone as well as in combination partially prevented the
alterations caused by cadmium-induced oxidative stress. As compare to individual
treatment of quercetin and curcumin alone, the combination of both agents produced
more ameliorating effect against cadmium-induced histopathological changes.