The effects of quercetin on antioxidant status and tumor markers in the lung and serum of mice treated with benzo(a)pyrene.
Chemoprevention has emerged as a very effective preventive measure against carcinogenesis. Several bioactive compounds present in fruits and vegetables have revealed their cancer curative potential on benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) induced carcinogenesis. In the present study, the efficacy of quercetin on the level of lipid peroxides, activities of antioxidant enzymes and tumor marker enzymes in B(a)P induced experimental lung carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice was assessed. In lung cancer bearing animals there was an increase in lung weight, lipid peroxidation and marker enzymes such as aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, 5'-nucleotidase, lactate dehydrogenase and adenosine deaminase with subsequent decrease in body weight and antioxidant enzymes-superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, reduced glutathione, vitamin E and vitamin C. Quercetin supplementation (25 mg/kg body weight) attenuated all these alterations, which indicates the anticancer effect that was further confirmed by histopathological analysis. Overall, the above data shows that the anticancer effect of quercetin is more pronounced when used as an chemopreventive agent rather than as a chemotherapeutic agent against B(a)P induced lung carcinogenesis.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai-600 025, India.
Sattu
S
Kamaraj
Radhakrishnan
R
Vinodhkumar
Pandi
P
Anandakumar
Sundaram
S
Jagan
Gopalakrishnan
G
Ramakrishnan
Thiruvengadam
T
Devaki
D015720:5'-Nucleotidase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002273:Carcinogens; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D011794:Quercetin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase