title: Inhibition of reactive oxygen species and pre-neoplastic lesions by quercetin through an antioxidant defense mechanism.
abstract: There is a correlation between oxidative stress generated by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) metabolism and liver cancer development. Quercetin is a flavonoid with anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant properties. This study demonstrates the mechanism of action for the chemopreventive effect of quercetin. A 10 mg/kg dose of quercetin produced drastic effect, when it is administrated 2 h before DEN; at 24 days post-DEN, a 70.3% and 66.2% decrease in total area and number of preneoplastic lesions were observed, respectively. At 12 h post-DEN, quercetin inhibited levels of lipid peroxidation by 40%. Quercetin increased the levels of both GSH and of total glutathione, it increased the GSH/GSSG index and it caused a rapid and simultaneous elevation in the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase. In conclusion, the quercetin mechanism of action is due to promote the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense system during the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Celular, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Mexico D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Verónica R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Vásquez-Garzón
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arellanes-Robledo
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Román
authors.forename: Diana I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Aparicio-Rautista
authors.forename: Saúl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Villa-Treviño
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011794:Quercetin