| Abstract:Objective To study the impacts of quercetin on alcohol-stimulated liver injury in rats. Methods Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, quercetin treatment (40mg/kg,80mg/kg,160mg/kg) groups. Ethanol plus 0.5ml fish oil were used to induce alcoholic liver injury for 6 weeks. Liver injury was evaluated using pathological examination and serum ALT levels. The plasma endotoxin and serum TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-18 levels were analyzed by ELISA method. The expression of CD14, LBP, TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-18 proteins in the liver were measured by Western blot. Results The increased serum ALT, fatty degeneration, focal necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver were investigated in model group. In addition, plasma endotoxin, serum TNF-α, IL-1, IL-18 levels, and the expression levels of CD14, LBP, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-18 proteins significantly elevated in model group compared with control group (P<0.05). However, quercetin treatment improved histological changes, and significantly reduced the levels of plasma endotoxin and serum TNF-α, IL-1, IL-18, as well as the expression of CD14, LBP, TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-18 proteins (P all <0.05). Fatty degeneration was still investigated in quercetin treatment group, but focal necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration disappeared. Conclusion Quercetin can protect liver against necrosis and inflammation induced by alcohol, and the mechanism may involve its effect on the reduction of plasma endotoxia, and inhibition of Kupffer cell activity and proinflammatory cytokine expression. |
