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. 2023 Jun 3;12(6):1212. doi: 10.3390/antiox12061212

Table 1.

Summary of the effect of quercetin on the amelioration of liver diseases.

Model Dosage Mechanisms Effects Reference
NAFLD
HepG2 cells 10 µM
(for 24 h)
↓ TNFα
↑ Antioxidant defenses
Improved insulin-mediated glucose uptake
Reduced inflammation
Vidyashankar et al. [158]
C57BLKS db/db mice 100 mg/kg/day
(for 8 weeks)
↑ Antioxidant defenses
↑ FXR1/TGR5 signaling
Improved dyslipidemia
Relieved liver swelling and liver enzymes
Reduced lipid accumulation and hyperglycemia
Yang et al. [159]
HepG2 cells 10 and 20 µM
(for 24 h)
Liver I/R injury
BALB/c mice 100 and 200 mg/kg/day
(for 5 days)
↓ ALT and AST
↓TNFα and IL-6
↑ p62
↓ BECN1 and LC3
↑ Bcl-2
↓ Bax, CASP3 and CASP9
↓ ERK/NF-κB pathway
Reduced serum liver enzymes
Reduced histopathological liver damage
Inhibited the release of proinflammatory cytokines
Inhibited autophagy and alleviated apoptosis
Wu et al. [108]
Primary hepatocytes 20 µM
(for 24 h before I/R)
Spraque Dawley rats 50 mg/kg
(for 30 min before I/R)
↓ AST and ALT
↓ MDA
Restored abnormal liver enzymes
Caused liver histological improvement
Uylaş et al. [160]
Wistar rats 50 mg/kg
(before I/R)
↑ GSH, SOD, and CAT
↓ MDA
↑ Bcl-2
↓ TNFα, NF-κB, and HO-1
Reduced oxidative stress
Reduced hepatic degeneration
Reduced inflammatory cytokines
Atef et al. [161]
Hepatocellular carcinoma
HuH7 cells 3 to 7 µM
(for 1 h)
↓ AKT signaling
↓ HGF
↓ TGFα
Suppressed the migration of HCC cells Yamada et al. [162]
HepG2, HuH7, PLC/PRF-5 and Hep3B cells 80 µM
(for 24 and 48 h)
↓ ROS
↓ Cyclin A and CHK1
↑ HO-1
Reduced proliferation of HCC cells Jeon et al. [163]
BALB/c nude mice 60 mg/kg/day ↓ AKT and mTOR
↑ MAPK
Inhibited the growth of HCC
Stimulated autophagy
Induced apoptosis
Ji et al. [164]
SMMC7721, HepG2 and LO2 cells 0 to 120 µM
(for 24, 36, and 48 h)
Old BALB/c mice 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day
(for 21 days)
↓ MMP-2 and MMP-6
↓ NF-κB
↓ TNFα, IL-6, and IL-17A
Inhibited HCC proliferation and migration
Promoted apoptosis
Produced a reduction in the volume and weight of liver tumors
Wu et al. [165]
H22 and HepG2 cells 25, 50, and 100 µM
(for 24, 48, and 72 h)

↑, increase; ↓, decrease; AKT, protein kinase B; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase; Bax, Bcl-2-Like protein 4; Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma-2; BECN1, beclin-1; CASP3, caspase 3; CAT, catalase; CHK1, checkpoint kinase 1; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; FXR1, farnesoid X receptor 1; GSH, glutathione; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HGF, hepatocyte growth factor; HO-1, hemeoxygenase-1; IL-6, interleukin-6; I/R, ischemia-reperfusion; LC3, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3; LIRI, liver ischemia-reperfusion injury; MDA, malondialdehyde; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NF-κB, nuclear factor-κB; p62, sequestosome-1; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TGA, triacylglycerol; TGFα, transforming growth factor alpha; TGR5, Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5; TNFα, tumor necrosis factor α.