Role of Quercetin in the Mitigation of Lindane Induced Toxicity in Terms of Oxidative Responses and Metabolic Status in Mice Brain

Background: The current study evaluated the protective potential of quercetin against lindane induced toxicity in mice brain. For investigation, mice were allocated into four groups; the first group was the control; the second group was administered with an oral dose of lindane (25 mg/kg bw) for 4 consecutive days; the third group was exposed to quercetin (40 mg/kg bw) and to the fourth group, quercetin was administered 1 hour prior to the exposure of lindane. Objective: Two major objectives of the study were set . The first objective was to create lesions in the brain by lindane and; the second was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of quercetin. Methods: To study oxidative responses, the levels of thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), Protein Carbonyl Content (PCC), Reduced Glutathione (GSH), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) were measured in brain homogenates. Three key steps regulating enzymes of the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle viz citrate synthase (CS), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and fumarase were also assayed. Results: Lindane treatment significantly enhanced the levels of TBARS (P<0.001),PCC (P<0.001), GPx (P<0.001), SOD (P<0.05), PDH (P<0.05) and fumarase (P<0.001) in brains of mice compared to control. Meanwhile, it alleviated GSH, CAT and CS (P<0.05) activity. Conclusion: Pretreatment with quercetin in lindane treated group not only restored previously altered biochemical parameters after lindane treatment and also significantly improved them, which suggests that quercetin is not only safe rather is neuroprotective against lindane intoxication.