Glyphosate disrupts redox status and up-regulates metallothionein I and II genes expression in the liver of adult rats. Alleviation by quercetin

The present work evaluated the possible protective effects of quercetin against glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity in adult rats. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: a control group (C), a glyphosate-treated group (Gly) and a group treated with both glyphosate and quercetin (Gly+QE). During the experimental period (15 days), glyphosate (50 mg/kg b.w.) was administered every two days by intraperitoneal way while quercetin (20 mg/kg b.w./day) was administered daily by gavage. Glyphosate-induced hepatic oxidative stress was evidenced by the increased levels of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, advanced oxidation protein products and protein carbonyls with a significant decrease in enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (non-protein thiols, glutathione, vitamin C) antioxidants. Plasma biomarkers of hepatotoxicity (AST, ALT, ALP, γ-GT, albumin) were also altered. Moreover, glyphosate induced DNA damage, up-regulated metallothionein (MT I and MT II) genes expression and provoked histopathological changes in rats' liver. Quercetin supplementation to glyphosate-treated rats markedly ameliorated all the parameters indicated above as well as the liver histoarchitecture. Therefore, quercetin might have beneficial effects against glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.