This study examined the protective effects of quercetin on chronic ethanol-induced liver injury. Rats were treated with ethanol at a dose of 4 g/100 g/day for 90 days. After ethanol intoxication, levels of serum amino transferases were significantly elevated. Decreased activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase was also observed on ethanol administration. Increased amounts of lipid peroxidation products viz. hydroperoxides, conjugated dienes and malodialdehyde were observed on ethanol intoxication. Ethanol administration resulted in significant decrease in liver glutathione content. After 90 days, the control animals were divided into two groups, the control group and the control+quercetin group. Ethanol-treated group was divided into two groups, abstention group and quercetin-supplemented group. After 30 days, the animals were sacrificed and various biochemical parameters were analyzed. The changes in enzyme activities as well as levels of lipid peroxidation products were reversed to a certain extent by quercetin. Quercetin supplementation resulted in increase of glutathione content to a significant level compared to normal abstention group. Quercetin supplemented group showed a faster recovery than abstention group. This shows the protective effect of quercetin against chronic ethanol induced hepatotoxicity. Histopathological study is also in line with these results.

Hematological and biochemical parameters are routinely used as indicators of the physiological or sublethal stress response to endogenous or exogenous changes in fish. In this work, the sublethal toxic effects of endosulfan (0.002 mg l⁻¹) on certain hematological and biochemical parameters of Labeo fimbriatus were examined for 28 days and the analyses were made on 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Endosulfan caused significant lower value of red blood corpuscles (RBC), hemoglobin, plasma glucose, and protein levels when compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). However, white blood corpuscles (WBC) increased throughout the study period. The results indicate that a low amount of endosulfan alters the hematological and biochemical parameters of fish, which can be useful in diagnosing the structural and functional status of fish exposed to toxicants.

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