PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF QUERCETIN ON METHOTREXATE INDUCED TOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

Methotrexate (Mtx) is used to treat a number of conditions, including certain types of malignancy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential protective impact of flavonoid quercetin on toxicity caused by methotrexate using hematological, biochemical, histopathological and oxidative stress approaches. There were four different groups, each group consisting of ten rats. The group 1 was a control, and animals were treated with 0.5 ml of carboxymethyl cellulose. Group 2 and 3 were treated with methotrexate (0.250 mg/kg); quercetin (50 mg/kg) and group 4 were treated with methotrexate (0.250 mg/kg) + quercetin (50 mg/kg). All drugs were given orally via oral gavage once daily for 28 days. At end of the trial, blood samples were collected from all of the animals for hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters estimation. Following the animal’s sacrifice, organs were collected for histopathological examination. The levels of TP, ALB, renal indicators like BUN and creatinine and liver enzymes like AST, ALT, and ALP were markedly elevated by methotrexate at dose rate of 0.25 mg/kg. This result was in accordance with Serum levels of Superoxide dismutase, which considerably reduced and lipid peroxidation levels significantly increased in rats treated with methotrexate. Methotrexate remarkably reduced the level of Hb, TEC, PCV and TLC which was corrected by quercetin. Animals treated with methotrexate showed significant histological changes in their liver, kidneys, lungs, spleen, stomach, intestine and testes which quercetin prevented. These results suggest that quercetin has a significant protective effect against methotrexate-induced toxicity in rats.