Quercetin protects mice kidney collagen against the damage induced by cadmium fluoride

Cadmium fluoride (CdF) is a well known environmental toxin. In the present study protective effect of quercetin against CdF induced changes in renal hydroxyproline (Hyp) fractions and collagen was investigated. Five experimental groups were studied viz., Group 1—normal (control) mice; Group 2—mice administered single intraperitoneal (ip) injection of CdF₂ at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight (bw) and sacrificed after 24 h; Group 3—mice administered single ip injection of CdF at a dose of 2 mg/kg bw but sacrificed after 48 h; Group 4—mice injected with quercetin alone at a dose of 100 mg quercetin/kg bw ip and Group 5—mice injected ip with 100 mg quercetin/kg bw followed by 2 mg CdF₂/kg bw after 2 h. Mice in Groups 4 and 5 were sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment. 2 mg/kg bw CdF caused a significant decrease in free and protein bound Hyp fractions after 24 h. However after 48 h, significant decreases were observed in all the renal Hyp fractions viz., free, peptide bound, protein bound and total Hyp fractions. There was also a significant decrease in total renal collagen after 48 h of CdF treatment. Quercetin pretreatment followed by CdF injection restored the altered parameters to near normal levels. The authors conclude that quercetin may protect the kidney collagen against CdF assault.