title: Effects of the plant flavonoids silymarin and quercetin on arsenite-induced oxidative stress in CHO-K1 cells.
abstract: Chronic toxic effects of arsenic resulting from drinking water are a human health problem, especially in South-America and Asia. Arsenic is capable of influencing various cellular processes, causing adverse effects, including cancer. Although the exact mechanism of the action is not known, a correlation between oxidative stress, tumour promotion and arsenic exposure has been observed. We examined the effects of silymarin and quercetin, in counteracting oxidative stress produced by acute or sub-chronic sodium arsenite exposure. The stress responses to arsenite included an increase in the heat shock protein 70 kDa expression, lipid peroxidation assayed by conjugated dienes measure, and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activity. We found that all these stress responses were eliminated by silymarin and quercetin in acute experiments. Both flavonoids diminished the conjugated dienes formation during sub-chronic cultures. Our results suggest that these antioxidant flavonoids, which may be easily incorporated into the diet, may afford a protective effect against arsenite-induced cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Biología Celular, Histología y Embriología, Instituto de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina. gbongiovanni@ceprocor.uncor.edu
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bongiovanni
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Soria
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Eynard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018053:Arsenites / Q000633:toxicity*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004347:Drug Interactions; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017670:Sodium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018053:Arsenites; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D012838:Silymarin; D017670:Sodium Compounds; C017947:sodium arsenite; D011794:Quercetin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase