title: Endothelium-independent vasodilator effects of the flavonoid quercetin and its methylated metabolites in rat conductance and resistance arteries.
abstract: The flavonoid quercetin is metabolized into isorhamnetin, tamarixetin, and kaempferol, the vascular effects of which are unknown. In the present study, the effects of quercetin and its metabolites were analyzed on isometric tension in isolated rat thoracic and abdominal aorta, in isolated intact and beta-escin-permeabilized iliac arteries, and on perfusion pressure in the isolated mesenteric resistance vascular bed. In noradrenaline-precontracted vessels, the four flavonoids produced a vasodilator effect, which was inversely correlated with the diameter of the vessel studied; i.e., quercetin, isorhamnetin, tamarixetin, and kaempferol were 5-, 25-, 4-, and 6-fold, respectively, more potent in the resistance mesenteric bed (-log IC(50) = 5.35 +/- 0.15, 5.89 +/- 0.11, 5.34 +/- 0.10, and 5.66 +/- 0.06, respectively) than in the thoracic aorta (-log IC(50) = 4.68 +/- 0.08, 4.61 +/- 0.08, 4.73 +/- 0.11, and 4.81 +/- 0.13, respectively; n = 4-6). The vasodilator responses of quercetin and isorhamnetin were not significantly modified after removal of the endothelium in the thoracic aorta or in the mesenteric bed. Furthermore, the guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one; 10(-6) M), the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 [9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purin-6-amine; 10(-6) M], KCl (40 mM), or ouabain (10(-3) M) had no effect on isorhamnetin-induced vasodilation in the mesenteric bed. In permeabilized iliac arteries stimulated with Ca(2+) (pCa of 5.9), isorhamnetin was also significantly more potent (-log IC(50) = 5.27 +/- 0.15) than quercetin (-log IC(50) = 4.56 +/- 0.15). In conclusion, quercetin and its metabolites showed vasodilator effects with selectivity toward the resistance vessels. These effects are not due to or modulated by endothelial factors and are unrelated to changes in cytosolic Ca(2+).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. fperez@eucmail.ucm.es
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérez-Vizcaíno
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibarra
authors.forename: Angel L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cogolludo
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zaragozá-Arnáez
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-López
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tamargo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D008745:Methylation; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011794:Quercetin