Protective effects of quercetin against chronic mixed reflux esophagitis in rats by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB p65 and interleukin-8 signaling pathways

• Published in: Journal of digestive diseases Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 319 - 326
• Main Authors: Wu, Ping, Zhou, Lu, Li, Ying Jie, Luo, Bin, Yi, Li Sha, Chen, Sheng Fang, Sun, Hui Hui, Chen, Ying, Cao, Zhi Jun, Xu, Shu Chang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Esophagitis, Peptic - prevention & control; interleukin-8; Interleukin-8 - antagonists & inhibitors; Male; NF-kappa B p65; quercetin; Quercetin - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; reflux esophagitis; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Transcription Factor RelA - antagonists & inhibitors; quercetin; reflux esophagitis; interleukin-8; NF-kappa B p65
• ISSN: 1751-2972; 1751-2980
• DOI: 10.1111/1751-2980.12249

Objective To observe the effects of quercetin on chronic mixed reflux esophagitis (RE) in rats by inhibiting the nuclear factor‐κB p65 (NF‐κBp65) and interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) signaling pathways. Methods Forty‐eight healthy male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups, with 8 rats in each group: the normal intact group, the sham operation group, the RE control group, the RE group treated with omeprazole or 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg quercetin. The animals were sacrificed after 6 weeks of different interventions. The pathological characteristics of esophageal mucosa were observed according to the diagnostic criteria and the expressions of NF‐κBp65 and IL‐8 were assessed by immunohistochemistry and real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Results Compared with the RE control group, esophageal mucosal injury was improved and the expressions of NF‐κBp65 and IL‐8 were significantly decreased in the RE group treated with omeprazole or quercetin (P < 0.05). Compared with the omeprazole group, the gross and microscopic scores of esophageal mucosal injury and the expressions of NF‐κBp65 and IL‐8 in the 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg quercetin groups were not increased (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the RE groups treated with 100 mg/kg quercetin and 200 mg/kg quercetin. Conclusion Quercetin can prevent esophageal mucosal injury in RE rats by suppressing the NF‐κBp65 and IL‐ 8 signaling pathways.