title: Quercetin preventive effects on theophylline-induced anomalies in rat embryo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Theophylline has been shown to cause heart anomaly in animal and human fetus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of quercetin on theophylline-induced heart disorders in rat embryo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Theophylline-induced teratogenicity in rats was used as the animal model. Pregnant rats were administered theophylline (259 mg/kg, po) or theophylline plus quercetin (259 mg/kg, po and 100 mg/kg, ip, respectively) on 9th and 10th days of pregnancy. On day 19, cardiac changes were assessed, measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity levels in blood samples and also the fetus heart weight. Histopathological examination was also performed on all specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Theophylline-treated rats showed MDA level elevation and GPx activity reduction. Quercetin treatment improved heart conditions and resulted in a significant reduction in MDA levels and elevation in GPx activity. Moreover, co-administration of quercetin and theophylline increased the heart weight significantly. Furthermore, histophatological study showed no changes in the treated groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that quercetin have beneficial effects on theophylline-induced-anomalies in rat embryo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sistani Karampour
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physiology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ardeshir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamram University, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Najafzadeh Varzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamram University, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mohammadian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaei
keywords: Glutathione peroxidase; Malondialdehyde; Quercetin; Theophylline