Ouercetin in the Treatment of Dyslipidemia

Dyslipidemia is a relatively common problem observed in clinical practice, seen both in instances when evaluating patients with subjective problems as well as among those coming to take a regular preventive exams. needless to say, discovery of any significant vascular disease necessitates initiation of proven medical therapy, which, ideally, besides its action on blood lipid values, sholud also exert effect on other, equally important parameters of vascular disease. Study goal: Goal of the sudy was to evaluate effects of regular consumption of quercetin on blood lipid values among healthy persons with dyslipidemia discovered on routine laboratory work up for different reasons. The study was designed as double blind, randomised study with two hunderd patients in each arm and total duration of the study being two months. Results: Groups were randomized in accordance with age and sex of patients as well as degree of blood lipid elevations. Average cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL value in both groups were similar to statisticaly insignificant differences among groups. Test group A had average values of cholesterol 6,21 mmol/l, triglycerides 3,02 mmol/l, HDL 0,89 mmol/l and LDL 3,98 mmol/l. Control group had values of same parameters as follows 6,17 mmol/l, 3,14 mmol/l, 0,92 mmol/l and 3,84 mmol/l respectively. Upon completion of therapy, test group has demonstrated a decrease in cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL values with parallel increase in HDL. Average cholesterol values at the end of the study were 5,09 mmol/l, whereas HDL and LDL values changed to 1,29 mmol/l and 2,91 mmol/l respectively. Discussion and conclusion: Patients rarely agree to start taking medications on a permanent basis, medications most of which are related to certain, not that infrequent, side effects. So these persons start using other means in an attempt to put blood lipids under control. Some of these means include lifestyle modification, exercise, but also use of food supplements that are proven to lower blood lipids. Among these available supplements, quercetin has recently attracted a lot of attention due to its strong antioxidant effects.