Inhibitory activity of nanoencapsulated quercetin against sodium arsenite-induced sub-acute liver toxicity in rats

Arsenic, a metalloid toxicant, is associated with a major global health problem as oxidative stress, a prime cause of tissue toxicity. The subject of our investigation was to assess the therapeutic efficiency of nanoencapsulated quercetin (QC) in combating sodium arsenite (NaAsO2)-inducted sub-acute hepatocellular toxicity in rat model. The rats of the hepatic damage group were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) four dosages of NaAsO2 (92.36 µM/kg b.wt.) twice a week. The rats of the polylactide nanoencapsulated QC group were injected intravenously (i.v.) four doses of nanoencapsulated QC (8.97 µmol/kg b.wt.) twice a week 2 h after the treatment (s.c.) with 92.36 µM /kg b. wt. NaAsO2 twice a week for four doses. The rats of the empty nanocasule or free QC treated group were injected i.v. four doses empty nanocapsule or free QC twice a week 2 h after the treatment (s.c.) with same doses of NaAsO2 twice a week for four doses. Arsenic deposition (580±20 µg/g protein) observed in liver tissue of rats treated with arsenite (92.36 µM/kg b.wt.), was found to reduce (120±9 µg/g protein) by the treatment of nanoencapsulated QC in rats significantly (p<0.001). The levels of antioxidant enzymes and GSSG/GSH ratio enhanced (p<0.001/0.1/0.01) by the treatment of NaAsO2 were reduced by the post treatment of nanoencapsulated QC significantly (p<0.001/0.01). The levels of ROS, lipohydroperoxide or membrane microviscosity increased or decreased (p<0.001) by the treatment of NaAsO2 were monitored to reduce or enhance significantly (p<0.001) by the treatment of nanoencapsulated QC in rat liver respectively. The blood serum biochemical levels enhanced (p<0.001) by the treatment of NaAsO2 were found to reduce significantly (p<0.001) by the treatment of nanoencapsulated QC in rats. The TGFβ1 and MMP-13 in the rat plasma augmented (p<0.001) by the treatment of NaAsO2-exposure were found to decline (p<0.001) significantly by the treatment of nanoencapsulated QC in rats. The rats in the other groups such as empty nanocapsule or free QC treated showed no or less inhibitory efficiency against NaAsO2-treatment compared to nanoencapsulated QC treated group. Application of nanoencapsulated QC may be a potent formulation to get higher inhibitory therapeutic efficiency against NaAsO2-induced sub-acute hepatocellular toxicity.