Quercetin protects the myocardium from the effects of ketamine

Injecting the bioflavonoid quercetin (as corvitin) before ketamine administration in rats reduced several markers of heart damage. Compared to rats given only ketamine, those pretreated with quercetin showed lower activity of total NO-synthase (1.48 times), inducible NO-synthase (1.5 times), and arginase (1.21 times), along with decreased peroxynitrite (1.44 times), nitrite (1.67 times), superoxide anion radical production (1.53 times), catalase activity (1.06 times), and lipid peroxidation products such as malone dialdehyde (1.68 times) and diene conjugates (1.2 times). Superoxide dismutase activity increased 1.13 times and nitrosothiols content rose 1.54 times. These results suggest quercetin protects heart muscle cells from ketamine-induced injury by boosting antioxidant defenses and reducing free radical production.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Background. The water soluble form of quercetin, corvitin, may potentially be useful for preventing complications of short-term ketamine analgesia in children and adults, as well as preventing myocardial damage in the treatment of depression and post- traumatic stress disorder. Purpose – was to determine the effect of quercetin on the myocardium of rats under conditions of ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity. Materials and Methods. Experiments were performed on 24 white sexually mature male rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups: control; rats that were injected with corvitin intraperitoneally at a dose of 5.2 mg/100 g; rats that were injected with ketamine intraperitoneally at a dose of 60 mg/kg with an interval of every 10 min for 3 hours (19 injections) and a group of animals that were injected with corvitin before ketamine administration. Results. The administration of quercetin 10 min before modeling ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity led to a decrease in total NO-synthase activity in the rat myocardium by 1.48 times, inducible NO-synthase activity by 1.5 times, arginase by 1.21 times, peroxynitrite content by 1.44 times, nitrite by 1.67 times, superoxide anion radical production by 1.53 times, catalase activity by 1.06 times, malone dialdegyde content by 1.68 times, diene conjugates by 1.2 times, triene conjugates by 1.19 times, octadiene conjugates by 1.59 times, free L-hydroxyproline by 1.16 times and sulfide anion by 1.15 times and an increase in superoxide dismutase activity by 1.13 times and nitrosothiols content by 1.54 times. compared to the group of rats in which ketamine- induced cardiotoxicity was simulated (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Administration of the bioflavonoid quercetin against the background of ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity prevents cardiomyocyte damage by activating antioxidant defense in the myocardium and reducing the production of oxygen and nitrogen free radicals, which prevents lipid peroxidation and collagenolysis, normalizing the functioning of the nitric oxide cycle.