Possible protective effect of quercetin on lung injury induced by skeletal muscle ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury of adult male albino rats: Histological and biochemical study

When a lower limb is injured, the most delicate organs that are at risk of harm are the lungs. Among the flavonoids, quercetin is a significant component that is found in apples and onions in the highest proportions. Numerous biological actions, including as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties, have been linked to quercetin. To investigate the impact of quercetin on lung injury induced by skeletal muscle ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. Three equal groups of twenty-four adult rats were used: control, Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group and IR group treated with quercetin. Rats in (IR) group were exposed to ischemia by ligation of femoral artery for 2h then after removal of the clamp, reperfusion was estabilished for another 24h. IR group treated with quercetin, rats were underwent hind limb IR as described in group II then were given quercetin that was administered at a dose of 20mg/kg intraperitoneally. Measurement of cytokines in serum, MDA in tissue homogenate and VEGF in serum and tissue homogrnate in addition to mRNA expression level and detection of protein level of both sirtuin-1(SIRT1) and NF-κB were assessed at the end of experiment. Histological and immunohistochemical assessment of the lungs were also carried. IR group showed notable rise of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in addition to high level of VEGF and MDA in IR group when compared to the IR group treated with quercetin. Also, gene expression and protein level of SIRT1 were reduced while NF-κB mRNA expression and protein level were significantly upregulated in IR group compared to IR group treated with quercetin. Histologically, IR group indicated marked histological alterations of lung tissue. Also, IR showed strong brownish cytoplasmic immunostaining for iNOS and abundance of Ki67-positive cells. These alterations were significantly reversed in IR group treated with quercetin. Biochemical and immunohistochemical findings of this study demonstrate that quercetin administration have protective effects against lung injury induced by lower limb IR.