Neuroprotective effects of quercetin on cerebral vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage in rats

Abstract

Background/aim: We examined the protective effects of the natural flavonoid, quercetin, against cerebral vasospasm in an experimental rat subarachnoid haemorrhage SAH model. Materials and methods: Thirty-eight albino Wistar rats were divided into five groups as follows: group 1 G1, n=8 , no experimental intervention; group 2 G2, n=8 , subarachnoid physiological saline; group 3 G3, n=8 , SAH; group 4 G4, n=7 SAH and low-dose 10 mg/kg quercetin treatment; group 5 G5, n=7 , SAH and high-dose 50 mg/kg quercetin treatment. Subarachnoid haemorrhage was induced by injection of 0.15 cc of autologous blood taken from the tail artery into the cisterna magna from the craniocervical junction and basilar arteries and blood samples were taken for biochemical and histopathological analyses. Results: Malondialdehyde MDA levels were significantly higher in G2 and G3 than in G1 P 0.05 . There were no significant differences in basilar artery BA wall thickness between G3 and G4 or between G3 and G5, but G4 and G5 showed greater luminal diameters than G3 P