Novel Double Loaded Quercetin Liposomes: Evidence of Superior Therapeutic Potency against Ccl4 Induced Hepatotoxicity – a Comparative Study

Use of natural products as hepatoprotective agents is beneficial both therapeutically as well as prophylactically. However, the herbal molecules posses lower bioavailability. The principles of novel drug delivery systems when combined with herbal products can have successful outcomes. Quercetin is a herbal flavonoid molecule found to posses antioxidant activity nevertheless has lower bioavailability due to the solubility issues associated with it. The present experiment was undertaken to study the effect of novel liposomal carrier on the residential bioavailability of quercetin in terms of its antioxidant activity against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. Female Sprague dawley rats were rendered cirrhotic by the intraperitoneal administration of 1:1 v/v of CCl4: olive oil. The liver of these animals showed cell necrosis, fibrosis, and inflammatory infiltration. Histological abnormalities were accompanied by parenchymal damage and granular degeneration. These were further confirmed by estimating the levels of SOD, CAT, GSH, SGOT, SGPT and bilirubin. Results obtained indicate that quercetin in the carrier shows better amelioration of the oxidative stress elicited by the hepatotoxin, results in a cytoprotective effect, and improves the CCl4-induced alterations in the liver structure when compared with that of free drug.