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Cogolludo A, Frazziano G, Briones AM, Cobeño L, Moreno L, Lodi F, Salaices M, Tamargo J, Perez-Vizcaino F

The dietary flavonoid quercetin activates BKCa currents in coronary arteries via production of H2O2. Role in vasodilatation.

Cardiovasc. Res.. 2007 Jan;73(2):424-31, PMID: 17055466

Large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (BKCa) regulate coronary artery tone in vivo, play a key role in blood pressure regulation, and have been suggested as novel potential drug targets in hypertension. Quercetin exerts systemic and coronary vasodilator effects in vitro and reduces blood pressure in several rat models of hypertension, and its consumption is associated with a lower mortality rate from coronary heart disease in epidemiological studies. We hypothesized that quercetin might activate BKCa channel in isolated myocytes from rat coronary arteries and that this mechanism might be involved in its coronary artery relaxant effects.

CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS