RESEARCH ARTICLE Protective role of quercetin against hematotoxic and immunotoxic effects of furan in rats Rasha T. Alam 1 & Ehsan H. Abu Zeid 2 & Tamer S. Imam 2 Received: 9 September 2016 /Accepted: 14 November 2016 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 Abstract Furan (Fu) is a liver carcinogen produced during heating process of food and concerns a public health problem. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the protective role of quercetin (Que) on Fu-induced hematological, immuno- logical, and histopathological alterations in rats. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five equal groups. Group I (Cont) received distilled water, group II (CO) received corn oil, group III (Que) received Que at 50 mg/kg BW, group IV (Fu) received Fu at 16 mg/kg BW, and group V received Que + Fu simultaneously; all groups gavaged daily for 30 days. Our results revealed that Fu administration significantly elevat- ed RBCs, Hb, PCV, WBCs, lymphocytes, and granulocytes and reduced phagocytic percent (Ph%) and index (PhI). Fu decreased the serum total protein, albumin, globulin, IgM, IgG, and IL4, with a significant increase in the TNFα and 8- OHdG. Moreover, it decreased the GSH content and GST ac- tivity and increased the MDA levels in the splenic tissue. Histopathologically, Fu led to a moderate depletion in the lym- phoid cells and weak immunostaining of CD20 antigen of few lymphocytes appeared in the spleen. Meanwhile, Que co- administration ameliorated the altered hematological parame- ters and improved the Ph% and PhI. It modulated the serum biochemical parameters and immunoglobulins. Moreover, it decreased lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant status in the spleen. The results indicated that Que possesses antiox- idant protective activity against Fu-induced oxidative damage and stimulates the immune function. Keywords Furan . Immunotoxicity . Oxidative DNA damage . Spleen . Quercetin . Anti-oxidant Introduction Furan (C 4 H 4 O) is a lipophilic volatile, colorless chemical compound formed during food thermal treatment as cooking and canning (Morehouse et al. 2008). Furan is formed in many foods by the effects of heat on carbohydrates, ascorbate, un- saturated fatty acids, and carotenes (Becalski and Seaman 2005; Hasnip et al. 2006; Crew and Castle 2007; Morehouse et al. 2008), through degradation of these compounds or by recombinations of smaller fragments (Lancker et al. 2009). The United States Food and Drug Administration performed a survey on food samples and found that furan occurs at levels >100 μg/g in a wide range of foods, including wheat, breads, cooked meats, and roasted coffee (Crew and Castle 2007; Bolger et al. 2009). On its own, furan is used as a synthetic intermediate in chemical manufacturing industry of pesticides, stabilizers, and pharmaceuticals. It is also a component of incomplete combustion and is present in engine exhaust and cigarette smoke. Furan is a hepato-carcinogen/liver toxicant and classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC 1995). Furan induces hepatic injury and necrosis, outcomes associated with an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in rats (Gill et al. 2010). Furan also induces cytotoxic effects in the liver and has been shown to cause a significant hepatic DNA damage (McDaniel et al. 2012). Furan exposure has also been associated with increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decreases in the glutathione-S-transferase Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues * Rasha T. Alam rashaalam@ymail.com 1 Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia 44511, Egypt 2 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia 44511, Egypt Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-016-8108-9