Pretreated quercetin protects gerbil hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons from transient cerebral ischemic injury by increasing the expression of antioxidant enzymes

Quercetin (QE; 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentahydroxyflavone), a well-known flavonoid, has been shown to prevent against neurodegenerative disorders and ischemic insults. However, few studies are reported regarding the neuroprotective mechanisms of QE after ischemic insults. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of QE on ischemic injury and the expression of antioxidant enzymes in the hippocampal CA1 region of gerbils subjected to 5 minutes of transient cerebral ischemia. QE was pre-treated once daily for 15 days before ischemia. Pretreatment with QE protected hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons from ischemic injury, which was confirmed by neuronal nuclear antigen immunohistochemistry and Fluoro-Jade B histofluorescence staining. In addition, pretreatment with QE significantly increased the expression levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, Mn superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons of animals with ischemic injury. These findings demonstrate that pretreated QE displayed strong neuroprotective effects against transient cerebral ischemia by increasing the expression of antioxidant enzymes.