![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mocdoc on June 18, 2001, at 11:52:46
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid recommended for prostatitis which I suffer from along with Bipolar II disorder. I have started and stopped quercetin (400 mg thrice daily) on three occasions (but never again!) and each time have become depressed after 2-5 days. A prominent urologist who frequently prescribes quercetin told me he never saw anyone get depressed on it (but maybe he has no depressives or Bipolars in his practice). Quercetin inhibits cytochrome P-450 metabolism and dietary flavonoids in sufficient amounts inhibit 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which would raise cortisol levels-bad news for Bipolars! I guess lots of licorice would do the same.Has anyone ever heard of quercetin causing depression?
mocdoc
Posted by SalArmy4me on June 18, 2001, at 12:44:11
In reply to Quercetin, posted by mocdoc on June 18, 2001, at 11:52:46
I thought this was interesting:
Gaster, Barak MD. St John's Wort for Depression: A Systematic Review. Archives of Internal Medicine. 160(2):152-156, January 24, 2000:
"Hypericum extract contains at least 10 substances that have been shown to have biological activity, including hypericin, pseudohypericin, xanthones, monoterpenes, [beta]-sitosterol, QUERCETIN, and catechin. Many of these substances have been shown to bind neuroreceptors in the brain and to inhibit the uptake of various neurotransmitters thought to be involved in depression."
Posted by Sulpicia on June 18, 2001, at 18:26:17
In reply to Quercetin, posted by mocdoc on June 18, 2001, at 11:52:46
>
> Quercetin is a bioflavonoid recommended for prostatitis which I suffer from along with Bipolar II disorder. I have started and stopped quercetin (400 mg thrice daily) on three occasions (but never again!) and each time have become depressed after 2-5 days. A prominent urologist who frequently prescribes quercetin told me he never saw anyone get depressed on it (but maybe he has no depressives or Bipolars in his practice). Quercetin inhibits cytochrome P-450 metabolism and dietary flavonoids in sufficient amounts inhibit 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which would raise cortisol levels-bad news for Bipolars! I guess lots of licorice would do the same.Has anyone ever heard of quercetin causing depression?
> mocdocFrankly nobody has a clear idea of how the stuff works but if your uro had troubled himself
to read up a bit:
1. Ogasawara H, Middleton E Jr. Effect of selected flavonoids on histamine release (HR) and
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation by human leukocytes [abstract]. J Allergy Clin Immunol.
1985;75(suppl):184.2. Middleton E Jr. Effect of flavonoids on basophil histamine release and other secretory systems.
Prog Clin Biol Res. 1986;213:493–506.3. Yoshimoto T, Furukawa M, Yamamoto S, et al. Flavonoids: potent inhibitors of arachidonate
5-lipoxygenase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1983;116:612–618.4. Shoskes DA, Zeitlin SI, Shahed A, et al. Quercetin in men with category III chronic prostatitis: a
preliminary prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Urology. 1999;54:960–963.He might get a clue on what is known about it and why it should be off limits for you specifically.
Any substance which alters the reactions of arachidonic acid is *highly* bioactive especially on neurochemistry. In fact,
quercetin is messing with the specific system which the recent work of A. Stoll [on omega-3 essential fatty acids for bp -- see his homepage
at Harvard for the particulars]has targeted -- no wonder you're depressed.By inhibiting the 5-lipoxygenase you raise the level of arachidonic acid [this is what gets lowered in Stoll's research to help bipolars]which in turn
effectively [thru complex reactions] decreases the level of eicosapentic acid, relatively low levels of which are associated with severe depression in bipolar.
It's a helluva a lot more complicated than this but I have no doubt that the 2 classes of prostaglandins released in the presense of high levels of arachidonic
acid *may* be specifically effective in reducing prostate inflammation -- unfortunately it's off limits to people with bipolar, depression, diabetes, and possibly
those with forms of hyperlipidemia.
The uro is damn lucky that you stopped using the stuff -- considering he *prescribed* a substance about which he apparently knew nothing.
If the 1999 study above is as good as the evidence gets, a malpractice lawyer would have a field day.I'm glad you're OK and I hope the prostate remits soonest.
S.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.