Investigation of the effect of Quercetin in experimental traumatic cardiac injury in rats

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiac effects of quercetin in rats subjected to traumatic cardiac injury. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two adult (4-month-old) female rats (250 -300 g body weight; Wistar Albino strain, Bolu, Turkey) were used in the study. The rats were obtained from Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Experimental Animals Application and Research Center and maintained under appropriate conditions during the study. The rats were housed in rooms with a temperature of 17-21 °C and 50-55% humidity in 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. They were fed without any feed and water restriction. Standard pellet rat food was given and they were fed with normal tap water. It was planned to use a total of 52 rats, 7 in the control group and 9 in the other groups. Quercetin was injected into three groups at doses of 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg at 0.5, 12 and 24 hours. The groups were sacrificed at 72 hours by intracardiac 5 ml blood sampling. Ketamine+xylazine (90/10 mg/kg) anesthesia was applied in the trauma model. Results: As a result of the study, statistically significant differences were found in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-33 (IL-33) levels. According to pairwise comparison analyses, a statistically significant difference was found for GPx and MDA when the injury group was compared with the quercetin-treated groups. Clinically significant differences were found for IL-1 and IL-33. Histopathologically, a statistically significant result was detected between the injury group and quercetin-treated groups, showing a cardiac protective effect at increasing doses. There was no statistically significant difference in SOD and sST2 levels. Conclusion: When MDA, a marker of oxidative stress, and histopathology results were evaluated together, it was determined that quercetin showed cardiac protective effect at increasing doses.When all our available data were evaluated together, it was determined that quercetin showed a protective effect in cardiac trauma. Although more extensive and advanced studies are needed, it appears that quercetin may take its place as an important agent in the treatment of traumatic cardiac injury. KEYWORDS: Traumatic cardiac injury, quercetin, antioxidant, malondialdehyde, rat