The possible protective effects of quercetin and/ or resveratrol against acrolein–induced sister chromatid exchanges and DNA damage in male albino mice.

Abstract

Abstract Quercetin and resveratrol, common plant polyphenols, are widely distributed in human daily food and can contribute in the protection against the genotoxic toxic effects of various food contaminants and environmental pollutants. The aim of this study is to investigate the protective role of quercetin (50 mg/ kg body weight) and/ or resveratrol (12.5 mg/ kg body weight) against the genotoxicity of acrolein (10 mg/ kg body weight) in male albino mice using sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) analysis and comet assay. The SCE analysis revealed that acrolein treatment significantly increased the SCEs frequency in bone marrow cells of acrolein-treated group in comparison with that of the control group, whereas pre-treatment with quercetin and/ or resveratrol significantly reduced it. Comet assay showed a significant increase in the comet parameters (tail length, tail DNA% and olive tail moment) in liver cells of acrolein-treated group in comparison with the corresponding control. In quercetin and/ or resveratrol pre-treated groups, the comet parameters were reduced in liver cells, indicating the anti-genotoxicity of quercetin and resveratrol. Pre-treatment with quercetin alone showed the best anti-genotoxic effect against acrolein-toxicity. Therefore, quercetin and resveratrol should be included in the human diet to antagonize the dangerous effects of mutagens like acrolein.