Fig. 5.

Results of modulating cholesterol level and lipid accumulation by quercetin in LDL-induced cholesterol laden HepG2 cells. a Effects of quercetin on the viability of HepG2 cells in LDL model. b Oil red O staining results with or without administration of quercetin after 24 h. c Cellular TC levels at 12 h. d-h mRNA expression of SREBP2, HMGCR, CYP7A1, SR-BI, LXRα and LXRβ. Control: control group; LDL: a high cholesterol level simulation model of HepG2 cells by low density lipoprotein (25 μg ml^− 1); LDL + Que.: quercetin with LDL model HepG2 cells (30, 10 μmol l^− 1). Data were presented as mean ± SEM. n = 6, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. control group