title: Mitochondrial function in response to cardiac ischemia-reperfusion after oral treatment with quercetin.
abstract: Polyphenolic compounds present in red wines, such as the flavonol quercetin, are thought capable of cardioprotection through mechanisms not yet clearly defined. It has been established that mitochondria play a critical role in myocardial recovery from ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) damage, and in vitro experiments indicate that quercetin can exert a variety of direct effects on mitochondrial function. The effects of quercetin at concentrations typically found in 1-2 glasses of red wine on cardiac I-R and mitochondrial function in vivo are not known. Quercetin was administered to rats (0.033 mg/kg per day by gavage for 4 d). Isolated Langendorff perfused hearts were subjected to I-R, and cardiac functional parameters determined both before and after I-R. Mitochondria were isolated from post-I-R hearts and their function assessed. Compared to an untreated control group, quercetin treatment significantly decreased the impairment of cardiac function following I-R. This protective effect was associated with improved mitochondrial function after I-R. These results indicate that oral low dose quercetin is cardioprotective, possibly via a mechanism involving protection of mitochondrial function during I-R.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-2180, USA. brookes@uab.edu
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Brookes
authors.forename: Stanley B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Digerness
authors.forename: Dale A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Parks
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Darley-Usmar
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D011794:Quercetin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase