Quercetin Ameliorates Lipid and Apolipoprotein Profile in High-Dose Glucocorticoid Treated Rats; [Quercetina Melhora O Perfil Lipidico E Apolipoproteico Em Ratos Tratados Com Glicocorticoides Em Altas Doses] Publisher Pubmed



Derakhshanian H^{1, 2} ; Djalali M³ ; Djazayery A⁴ ; Javanbakht MH³ ; Zarei M³ ; Hekmatdoost A⁵ ; Eslamian G⁶ ; Mirhashemi SS¹ ; Dehpour AR⁷ Show Affiliations
Source: Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia Published:2020

Abstract

Background: Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely prescribed for the treatment of numerous clinical disorders due to their anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties and one of the most common untoward effects of these drugs is dyslipidemia. Objective: To evaluate the effect of quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid, on the lipid profile of high-dose glucocorticoid treated rats. Methods: A total of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats, were randomly distributed among four groups (8 rats per group) and treated for 6 weeks with one of the following: (i) normal saline; (ii) 40 mg/kg methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MP); (iii) MP + 50 mg/kg quercetin; (iv) MP + 150 mg/kg quercetin. MP was injected subcutaneously, and quercetin was administered by oral gavage 3 days a week. At the end of the study, the animals’ lipid profile was measured by enzymatic kits. Data were analyzed and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The mean serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and LDL levels were drastically increased in GC-treated animals compared with the control group. Both doses of quercetin (50 and 150 mg/kg) ameliorated TC (43% and 45%), LDL (56% and 56%) and TG (46% and 55% respectively). Apo B/A1 ratio decreased more than 20% following quercetin intake and the decline in TC/HDL, TG/HL, LDL/HDL ratios were significant. Conclusions: These data suggest that quercetin intake with both doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg could be considered as a protective agent for glucocorticoid-induced dyslipidemia. © 2020, Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia. All rights reserved.