PURPOSE: The long term use of quercetin flavonoid was evaluated in cirrhotic rats by common biliary duct bondage (LDB). METHODS: 32 male Wistar rats were submitted to LDB or simulation, and distributed in 4 groups: 1) control, 2) cirrhotic, 3) cirrhotic treated with quercetin the second day after the surgical procedure; and 4) cirrhotic treated with quercetin after the fourteenth day of the surgical procedure. The hepatic function was analyzed through biochemical tests (TB and DB) and enzymatic activity (ALT, AST, AP and GGT). In the anatomopatological analysis, Hematoxilin & Eosin (H&E) coloration, and Picrosirius (for fibrosis) were used.The statistical analysis for survival evaluation was accomplished by the Kaplan-Meier test. RESULTS: The results of survival of the eight animals of each group were: Group 1 = 200 days of survival; Group 2 = 46 days; Group 3 = 71 days; and the Group 4 = 90 days. In the animals with bondage of common biliary duct, there was an increase of the hepatic and anzymatic function tests, which was reduced with the treatment with quercetin. Cirrhosis, portal and centrolobular vascular congestion, were identified in the histopatological analysis with H&E and Picrosirius. CONCLUSION: The use of quercetin decreased significantly the biochemical alterations caused by cirrhosis, increasing the time of survival of the animals with secondary biliary cirrhosis due to LDB.
Secondary biliary cirrhosis; Quercetin; Rats
