Quercetin exerts cardiovascular protective effects in LPS-induced dysfunction in vivo by regulating inflammatory cytokine expression, NF-κB phosphorylation, and caspase activity

Impaired myocardial contractile function, one of the well-documented features of sepsis, contributes greatly to the high rate of mortality. Quercetin is widely accepted as a potential antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that an increase in the intake of dietary Quercetin can reduce the risk of cardiac disease. However, presently there is no report yet on the influence of Quercetin on LPS-induced myocardial dysfunction in vivo. Cardiovascular protective effects of Quercetin on LPS-induced sepsis in mice were measured after intragastric administration, using normal saline as a positive control. Quercetin pretreatment significantly alleviated LPS-induced cardiac abnormalities in mice. The histopathologic findings in the present study justify the findings reported from the biochemical analyses. Our observation from the present research work reveals that Quercetin suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines at different levels, such as TNF-α and IL-1β, and inhibits the activation of I-κB phosphorylation, whereas the total content was not affected. Apoptotic pathways are related to Quercetin protection in the development of myocardial dysfunction. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the adjuvant potentials of Quercetin for clinical sepsis treatment.