Study of Tolerance of Drug Based on Quartzetin on Clinically Healthy Cats

Abstract

The article presents the results of clinical trials of tolerability of the drug, containing the flavonoid quercetin, on clinically healthy cats. Quercetin is a biologically active substance found in many plants. Some pharmacological effects of quercetin have been discovered recently and are being intensively studied. The results of numerous studies show that quercetin may possess antioxidant, membraneprotective, gastro-, nephro-, hepato-, cardio-protective, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory action. The bioavailability of quercetin is highest in combination with pectin and insoluble oligosaccharides, which is associated with changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the intestinal microflora. One of the prerequisites for the development and testing of new veterinary medicinal products, both in the context of national legislation and the requirements of the international community for the registration of medicinal products, is to conduct clinical trials in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP). This is especially true of drugs with a new substance, the pharmacological properties and effectiveness of which have not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, to assess the tolerability, safety and efficacy of the drug containing quercetin, a comprehensive clinical trial was performed on small pets (cats). The study was conducted in veterinary clinics on healthy cats of all ages, genders and breeds. The drug was administered orally at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight with food for 30 days. Blood sampling was performed before drug use and on 30 and 60 days of the experiment. The effect of the drug was assessed by clinical indicators, as well as hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood of cats. Stabilized EDTA blood was used for morphological studies and blood serum for biochemical studies.
 According to the assessment of the animal clinical condition and laboratory data, the tolerability of the studied drug when administered orally to clinically healthy cats was good. According to the results of comparison of clinical, hematological and biochemical parameters obtained on the 30th and 60th day of the experiment, and before the use of the drug, no negative changes were detected.
 The results of biochemical tests of cats serum blood on 30th day indicated a reliable increase, within normal limits, in glucose, urea, creatinine content, increased alanine aminotransferase and catalase activity, decreased gamma-glutamyltransferase activity and decreased content of diene conjugates and malonic dialdehyde – main peroxide oxidation indexes. Serum protein spectrum parameters were stable throughout the experiment. On the 60th day of drug application, recovery to the initial values of majority cats serum parameters was detected, compared with the values obtained on the 30th day of the experiment. According to the indicators of the antioxidant system of cats, the activity of serum superoxide dismutase and the content of diene conjugates during this period of the experiment remained at the level of the 30th day. Serum catalase activity decreased, compared to the values on the 30th day, but did not differ significantly from initial indices, and the content of malonic dialdehyde in the serum of animals decreased reliably. This indicated a decrease in the intensity of the formation of toxic compounds in the cats body and pronounced antioxidant properties of the drug “Hepanephran”. The results of the studies show that when using the drug for 30 days there was an increase in body tone, activation of hematopoiesis and antioxidant protection, stability of protein metabolism, serum biochemical profile and improvement of the physiological state of the study animals as a whole.