The protective role of Quercetin in Mitigating MSG-induced nephrotoxicity and TNF-α in Male Albino Rats

Abstract

Background and Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of quercetin against monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in male albino rats.

 Methods: The experiment was conducted in the Animal House of the Department of Life Sciences, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Anbar. Twenty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (3–4 months old, weighing 200–250 g) were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 5). The control group received distilled water (5 mL/kg), the second group received quercetin (100 mg/kg), the third group received MSG (15 mg/kg), and the fourth group received MSG (15 mg/kg) followed by quercetin (100 mg/kg). All treatments were administered orally for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, serum urea and creatinine were measured to assess renal function, while malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated as indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation.

 Results: MSG administration significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) serum urea and creatinine levels, MDA concentration, and TNF-α levels, while significantly reducing T-AOC compared with the control group. In contrast, rats treated with quercetin following MSG exposure showed a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.05) in urea, creatinine, MDA, and TNF-α levels, accompanied by a significant increase in T-AOC compared with the MSG-treated group.

Conclusions: Quercetin effectively attenuated MSG-induced renal dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses in male rats. These findings suggest that quercetin possesses Reno protective and antioxidant properties and may serve as a promising natural adjunct for reducing kidney toxicity associated with MSG exposure.