Histomorphometric Profile of Myocardial Remodeling and Fibrosis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with Quercetin

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 11, November 2026 | pp. 208–216

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/001024

Research Article

Title: Histomorphometric Profile of Myocardial Remodeling and Fibrosis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with Quercetin

Names of Authors: T. O. Olatunji¹, M. R. Müller²*

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹ Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
² Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Abstract:
Chronic systemic hypertension triggers pathological myocardial remodeling characterized by cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and interstitial collagen deposition, leading to impaired diastolic compliance. This study quantified the protective effects of the bioflavonoid quercetin on ventricular architecture and fibrosis pathways in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Twenty-four male SHRs (12 weeks old) were distributed into three groups (n = 8): Untreated SHRs, Low-Dose Quercetin (50 mg/kg/day), and High-Dose Quercetin (100 mg/kg/day), administered via oral gavage for 8 weeks, alongside a normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) control group. Left ventricular tissue sections were stained with Masson’s Trichrome to quantify fibrosis and examined immunophysically. Untreated SHRs showed marked cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, with a mean fiber cross-sectional area of 382 ± 24 μm² compared to 215 ± 14 μm² in WKY controls (p < 0.01). Interstitial collagen volume fraction in untreated SHRs rose significantly to 14.2% ± 1.6% (p < 0.01 vs. 3.1% ± 0.4% in WKY). High-dose quercetin treatment significantly limited structural cardiac remodeling, reducing cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area to 264 ± 18 μm² and decreasing the interstitial collagen volume fraction to 5.8% ± 0.7% (p < 0.05). This reduction in tissue remodeling correlated with down-regulated expressions of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1). These quantitative results show that quercetin mitigates pathological myocardial remodeling and interstitial fibrosis, preserving underlying ventricular tissue architecture against chronic hypertensive stress.

Keywords: Myocardial remodeling, Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, Interstitial fibrosis, Quercetin, Transforming growth factor-beta 1.

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 28, 2026; Revised: October 12, 2026; Accepted: October 28, 2026; Published: November 18, 2026.

Citation: Olatunji TO, Müller MR. Histomorphometric Profile of Myocardial Remodeling and Fibrosis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with Quercetin. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology. 2026; 15(11): 208–216. doi:10.46882/2026/IJAP/001024

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