Figure 1.

Experimental protocol for 4-NQO-induced carcinogenesis and quercetin treatment. A total of 70 six-week-old, male CF-1 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: (group 1) 4-NQO (n=20); (group 2) 4-NQO + quercetin (10 mg/kg/day) (n=0); (group 3) 4-NQO + quercetin (100 mg/kg/day) (n=20); and (group 4) untreated control (n=10). The mice were treated with a propylene glycol/4-NQO solution in their drinking water at a concentration of 100 µg/ml for 16 weeks (black bars). Quercetin was administered orally at doses of 10 or 100 mg/kg/day (grey bars) over 18 weeks in groups 2 and 3. At week 29, the animals were sacrificed and the experimental procedures were performed. 4-NQO, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.