Effects of quercetin treatment on vascular function in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats. Comparative study with verapamil

Planta Med. 2004 Apr;70(4):334-41. doi: 10.1055/s-2004-818945.

Abstract

This study analysed and compared the effects of chronic oral treatment with quercetin or verapamil on systolic blood pressure and vascular function in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Quercetin and verapamil inhibited the development of DOCA-salt-induced hypertension in a similar manner. DOCA-salt-hypertensive rats showed potassium depletion and oxidative stress, prevented only by concomitant quercetin administration. Quercetin and verapamil treatments reduced the endothelium-independent hyper-reactivity to KCl observed in the aorta of DOCA-salt-hypertensive rats, but only quercetin increased the contractile responses to angiotensin II, improved endothelial dysfunction and restored basal aortic Cu/Zn SOD expression, altered in DOCA-salt-treated rats. In conclusion, quercetin and verapamil show similar antihypertensive effects in mineralocorticoid hypertension, but quercetin was superior to verapamil in improving endothelial-dependent aortic dilatation, suggesting a better vascular protection in this volume expansion hypertension model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Aorta / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Desoxycorticosterone
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Hypertension / chemically induced
  • Hypertension / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Muscle Contraction / drug effects
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plants, Medicinal*
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Quercetin / administration & dosage
  • Quercetin / pharmacology*
  • Quercetin / therapeutic use
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Verapamil / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Desoxycorticosterone
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Quercetin
  • Verapamil