COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF QUERCETIN AND DICLOFENAC SODIUM IN THE CARRAGEENAN INFLAMMATION MODEL IN RATS

Introduction. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as diclofenac, are traditionally used in the treatment of inflammatory reactions, but its long-term use can cause side effects, including gastrointestinal disorders, which limits their use. This prompts the search for alternatives based on natural components, such as quercetin. Given the role of reactive oxygen species in inflammation, the use of quercetin, which is known for its antioxidant properties, may be effective in certain forms of inflammation and promising due to fewer side effects. Aims. To compare the anti-inflammatory effect of quercetin and diclofenac sodium in a rat model of carrageenan inflammation. Methods. Rats were used in the experiment, in which 0.1 ml of 1% carrageenan was injected into the hind paw subplantarly to model inflammation. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with diclofenac sodium or quercetin once 1 hour before the inflammation was reproduced. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of the drugs was evaluated by the size of edema, elastase, acid phosphatase activity and malondialdehyde content in the blood serum and inflamed area. The main results. The study showed that the administration of carrageenan to rats caused the development of inflammation by increasing the paw thickness by 62.5% after 2 hours and by 70.8% after 4 hours. The maximum edema was observed at 4 hours, after which it began to decrease. Quercetin administration reduced edema by 17.9% after 2 hours compared to the control group (p1< 0.05). Diclofenac sodium was more effective in reducing the thickness of edema compared to quercetin during the entire observation period (p < 0.05). The activity of elastase, a marker of inflammation, increased by 54.2% in the blood of animals with inflammation, but pretreatment with quercetin and diclofenac sodium reduced this index by 21.8% and 27.2%, respectively. In blood serum and damaged tissues, carrageenan led to an increase in acid phosphatase activity by 80.0% and 76.2%, respectively. The use of quercetin and diclofenac prevented the activation of acid phosphatase, which decreased by 21.4-30.6%. A more pronounced decrease in the activity of acid phosphatase was recorded after the use of diclofenac sodium. The increase in the content of malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative stress, was more significant in the control group (80.6%). The administration of quercetin inhibited the growth of this marker by 35.5%, and diclofenac – by 19.8%. Conclusions. A comparative study of the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the drugs revealed a higher anti-exudative and anti-inflammatory efficacy of diclofenac sodium in terms of edema size and the activity of elastase and acid phosphatase. At the same time, quercetin exhibited higher antioxidant activity, reducing the level of malondialdehyde in the blood serum and in the area of the injured limb. The results of the study indicate the prospects of using the bioflavanoid quercetin as an anti-inflammatory agent. Given the number of side effects of diclofenac and the absence of such in quercetin, we believe that quercetin can take a worthy place among anti-inflammatory agents.