Effects of the plant flavonoids silymarin and quercetin on arsenite-induced oxidative stress in CHO-K1 cells

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2007-06, Vol.45 (6), p.971-976
• Main Authors: Bongiovanni, G.A., Soria, E.A., Eynard, A.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adverse effects; Animals; anticarcinogenic activity; antinutritional factors; Antioxidant; antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Arsenic Poisoning - prevention & control; Arsenites - toxicity; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; cell culture; cell lines; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; CHO Cells; chronic toxicity; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; cytoprotective properties; cytotoxicity; Drug Interactions; essential oils; gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase; gamma-glutamyltransferase; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - metabolism; heat shock proteins; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxides - metabolism; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; plant extracts; Quercetin; Quercetin - pharmacology; Silybum marianum; Silymarin; Silymarin - pharmacology; Sodium arsenite; Sodium Compounds - toxicity; Toxicology; water pollution
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2006.12.002

Chronic toxic effects of arsenic resulting from drinking water are a human health problem, especially in South-America and Asia. Arsenic is capable of influencing various cellular processes, causing adverse effects, including cancer. Although the exact mechanism of the action is not known, a correlation between oxidative stress, tumour promotion and arsenic exposure has been observed. We examined the effects of silymarin and quercetin, in counteracting oxidative stress produced by acute or sub-chronic sodium arsenite exposure. The stress responses to arsenite included an increase in the heat shock protein 70 kDa expression, lipid peroxidation assayed by conjugated dienes measure, and γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase activity. We found that all these stress responses were eliminated by silymarin and quercetin in acute experiments. Both flavonoids diminished the conjugated dienes formation during sub-chronic cultures. Our results suggest that these antioxidant flavonoids, which may be easily incorporated into the diet, may afford a protective effect against arsenite-induced cytotoxicity.