Effects of Quercetin on Acute Toxicity of Rat Spleen and Chromosome Aberrations in Bone Marrow Induced by Hexavalent Chromium

Quercetin, in some fruits and vegetables, is a potent oxygen free radical scavenger and a metal chelator. This study was planned to investigate the possible protective effects of quercetin on hexavalent chromium in form of potassium dichromate (K ₂ Cr ₂ O ₇ ) induced chromosome aberrations in bone marrow and histopathological changes of spleen at the light microscopic level. Male Wistar rats were administered hexavalent chromium at doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg BW and quercetin at dose of 100 mg/kg BW before administration of hexavalent chromium 20 mg/kg BW for one hour. All rats were treated by single gavage and killed 24 hours after each treatment. The results demonstrated that the histology of spleen was not changed in all groups of treatment. However, a significant increase in percentage of chromosome aberrations was observed in hexavalent chromium at doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg BW as compared to the control group (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). The increase of chromosome aberrations was dose-dependent manner of hexavalent chromium. Interestingly, the percentage of chromosome aberrations induced by hexavalent chromium 20 mg/kg BW could be reduced significantly (p < 0.001) by quercetin pretreatment. These results indicated that the antioxidant quercetin might have a protective effect against hexavalent chromium induced chromosome aberrations in rat bone marrow. This study suggested that quercetin might involve at least in part neutralizing free radicals.