Quercetin and Allicin Can Alleviate the Hepatotoxicity of Lead (Pb) through the PI3K Signaling Pathway

Abstract

Lead (Pb) is a common toxic heavy metal pollutant in the environment that seriously endangers the health of animals. The liver is a key target organ affected by Pb toxicity. Plant extracts allicin and quercetin have a strong antioxidant capacity that can promote the excretion of heavy metals by improving the body’s antioxidant defense and chelating heavy metal ions. To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of allicin and quercetin on Pb poisoning in chickens, 96 chickens were randomly divided into eight groups: control, Pb, allicin, quercetin, allicin + quercetin, Pb + allicin, Pb + quercetin, and Pb + allicin + quercetin groups. The chickens were given feed containing the above treatments for 90 days. The results indicated that Pb can affect the growth and development of the liver, damage the circulatory system, destroy the structure of mitochondria and nuclei in liver cells, cause an imbalance in the oxidation system, inhibit PI3K protein, and activate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Allicin and quercetin, alone or in combination, can improve the antioxidant capacity of the liver and alleviate liver tissue damage caused by Pb. In summary, allicin and quercetin could alleviate oxidative damage and apoptosis in the Pb-poisoned chicken liver through the PI3K signaling pathway, with stronger effects achieved by their combination.

Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) Extract Attenuates CCl4‐Induced Liver Injury by Restoring Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis in Mice

“…[35] Also, myricitrin, myricetin, and quercetin could alleviate liver injuries by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and hepatocellular apoptosis. [36][37][38] Kaempferol was shown to prevent alcoholic liver injuries in mice by increasing the levels of butyrate receptors and tight junction proteins in the intestinal mucosa. [39] CCl 4 -induced lipid peroxidation of the hepatocellular membrane is a key factor leading to liver injuries.…”

Allicin-Inspired Heterocyclic Disulfides as Novel Antimicrobial Agents

“…Despite the fact that the allicin has a variety of biological activities, its chemical and thermal instability has prompted efforts to develop new drugs for therapeutic development . Furthermore, allicin and derivatives have rich biological activities in antiparasitic, acaricidal, , anti-inflammation, antioxidative, insecticidal, and anticancer field, and allicin can also promote intestinal health and development …”

“…8 Despite the fact that the allicin has a variety of biological activities, its chemical and thermal instability has prompted efforts to develop new drugs for therapeutic development. 9 Furthermore, allicin and derivatives have rich biological activities in antiparasitic, 10 acaricidal, 11,12 anti-inflammation, 13 antioxidative, 14 insecticidal, 15 and anticancer 16 field, and allicin can also promote intestinal health and development. 17 In addition, three pyridine-N-oxide alkaloids (Figure 1, compound 1−3) containing disulfide bond functional groups were isolated from Allium stipitatum, which were potentially an inhibitor of fatty acid biosynthesis and exhibited MICs of 0.5− 8 μg/mL against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus.…”

“…The physical data, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and mass spectrometry (MS) of the target compounds are provided in the Supporting Information.…”

Allicin, an Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Agent, Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment

“…Preclinical studies have shown that allicin has positive impact on the healing of wound under diabetic conditions and streptozotocin-induced nephropathy in Wistar rats [ 23 , 24 ]. It has also shown the ability to alleviate hepatic toxicity induced by lead (Pb) and acrylamide [ 25 , 26 ]. Allicin has been reported to recover the spermatogenesis and sperm quality after diabetic induced damage, it has also shown beneficial effects on the reproductive system of male Wistar rats [ 27 , 28 ].…”