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The Adjunctive Effect of Quercetin on Postoperative Pain Management Following Cesarean Section: A Randomized Controlled Study

Mohamed Elmokadem E, Khaled Abou El Fadl D, Bassiouny AM, Mahmoud MMAE, Samy M, El Said NO

Drug design, development and therapy, 2025

80 participants · 2 citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: Post-cesarean section pain management remains a crucial challenge in obstetric care, with implications for maternal recovery, mother-child bonding, and long-term health outcomes. Quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has shown promising analgesic effects in preclinical studies but has limited clinical evidence for acute pain management. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of preoperative Quercetin administration on acute post-operative pain following cesarean section.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, 80 patients undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anaesthesia were randomly allocated to receive either 500 mg oral Quercetin (n=40) or matching placebo (n=40) one hour before surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative pain intensity assessed using a 10 cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included time to first analgesic request, total morphine consumption, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to physical activity initiation, functional activity, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects.

RESULTS: The Quercetin group demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores at all measured time points (p<0.001) and delayed time to first analgesic request (3.9±1.3 vs 2.73±0.78 hours, p<0.001) compared to the placebo group. Additionally, patients receiving Quercetin initiated physical…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 80 participants or records.

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