CHEMOPREVENTIVE EFFECT OF QUERCETIN IN SARCOMA-180-BEARING MICE

The flavonoid quercetin was assessed for its chemopreventive property in Sarcoma-18O(S-180)-induced ascites tumors. The flavonoid was admini stered in the diet at 2% level to S-180-bearing mice, and the lipid an d lipoprotein profile was studied after the treatment. The plasma chol esterol levels increased in the S-180-bearing mice, with the increase attributed to LDL and VLDL; whereas HDL showed a decrease in the S-180 -bearing animals. However on administration of quercetin there was a s ignificant decrease in the cholesterol (free, total and ester) and lip oprotein levels (LDL and VLDL) with a corresponding increase in HDL ch olesterol. The cholesterol levels of S-180 ascites fluid were also dec reased in the quercetin-treated S-180 tumor.