Abstract: AIM:To investigate the protective effects of quercetin on nephrotoxicity induced by cyclosporine A (CsA) in rats.METHODS:Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups of seven rats each. Control group, quercetin (40 mg/kg) group, CsA (40mg/kg) group, CsA (40 mg/kg) plus quercetin (40 mg/kg) group. The all groups were administered once day respectively for 15 days. Twenty-four hour urines were collected at the 10th and 14th day respectively after administration to measure the content of urinary protein and urinary Nacetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG). The animals in all groups were sacrificed 4 h after the last administration. Blood samples were collected to measure serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Kidneys were removed rapidly, excised and sectioned for histological analysis. Other kiney tissues were utilized for biochemical analysis.RESULTS: Quercetin prevented urinary protein, SCr, BUN, NAG, and kidneys histological alterations. Quercetin significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content while significantly increased glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione-S-transferase(GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), catalase(CAT) activities of kidneys tissues in the rats treated with CsA.CONCLUSION:Quercetin can effectively attenuate the nephrotoxicity induced by CsA.

Key words: quercetin, cyclosporine A, nephrotoxicity, antioxidation