Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi, cilt.32, sa.1, ss.18-25, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lower limbs is a significant clinical challenge that can arise due to surgical procedures, thrombotic events, embolism, or traumatic vascular damage. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidative and histopathological protective effects of quercetin, a potent flavonoid antioxidant, on skeletal muscle subjected to I/R injury. METHODS: Eighteen Wistar Albino rats were randomly assigned into three groups: Control (sham laparotomy), Ischemia-Reperfusion (IR) group (2 hours of ischemia followed by 2 hours of reperfusion), and Ischemia-Reperfusion plus quercetin treatment (IR-Q) group, receiving 20 mg/kg quercetin intraperitoneally 30 minutes before ischemia induction. After the experimental protocols, skeletal muscle samples were collected for biochemical assays measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as well as for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The IR group demonstrated a significant increase in MDA concentration compared to controls (p<0.0001), whereas administration of quercetin in the IR-Q group significantly attenuated MDA levels relative to the untreated IR group (p=0.012). SOD activity was markedly diminished in the IR group (p<0.0001) but was significantly restored in the IR-Q group compared to IR alone (p=0.012). Histological analyses revealed pronounced muscle atrophy, degeneration, leukocyte infiltration, and fiber fragmentation/ hyalinization in the IR group, which were significantly alleviated by quercetin treatment (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that quercetin exerts a protective effect against oxidative stress and structural damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion in skeletal muscle, potentially through enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses. Quercetin thus holds promise as a therapeutic agent in mitigating I/R injury; however, further studies are needed to elucidate its precise mechanisms and clinical applicability.