Quercetin, a natural flavonoid, attenuates vacuolar formation in the optic tract in rat chronic cerebral hypoperfusion model.
Epidemiological studies suggest that the intake of flavonoids is inversely associated with risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, but there is no evidence showing the effect of flavonoids on vascular dementia. Because quercetin, a natural flavonoid, is known to scavenge free radicals, we investigated whether quercetin attenuates white matter damage in rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, as a model of vascular dementia. Chronic hypoperfusion was induced by ligation of the bilateral carotid arteries in male Wistar rats, which received vehicle alone, 100 mg/kg quercetin, or 200 mg/kg quercetin intraperitoneally at 4-day intervals for 8 weeks after operation. Sham-operated rats were also studied. The area of vacuoles in the optic tract observed after hematoxylin and eosin staining was significantly reduced in the 200 mg/kg quercetin-treated hypoperfusion group versus the vehicle-treated hypoperfusion group (1.7+/-0.2% versus 3.9+/-0.3%; P<0.05). The present results are consistent with the idea that chronic treatment with quercetin could be protective against at least a part of ischemic white matter damage.
Takizawa
Shunya
S
Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan. shun@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
Fukuyama
Naoto
N
Hirabayashi
Hisayuki
H
Kohara
Saori
S
Kazahari
Shoji
S
Shinohara
Yukito
Y
Nakazawa
Hiroe
H
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011794:Quercetin