Quercetin Ameliorates Lipid and Apolipoprotein Profile in High-Dose Glucocorticoid Treated Rats

Abstract Background Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely prescribed for the treatment of numerous clinical disorders due to their anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties and one of the most common untoward effects of these drugs is dyslipidemia. Objective To evaluate the effect of quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid, on the lipid profile of high-dose glucocorticoid treated rats. Methods A total of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats, were randomly distributed among four groups (8 rats per group) and treated for 6 weeks with one of the following: (i) normal saline; (ii) 40 mg/kg methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MP); (iii) MP + 50 mg/kg quercetin; (iv) MP + 150 mg/kg quercetin. MP was injected subcutaneously, and quercetin was administered by oral gavage 3 days a week. At the end of the study, the animals’ lipid profile was measured by enzymatic kits. Data were analyzed and statistical significance was set at p