Quercetin might help with spring allergies

Q: My friend recommended that I use quercetin because I have allergies in the spring. I get a runny nose and itchy eyes, which are pretty mild, but still a nuisance. What your thoughts on whether quercetin works for allergies?

A: Quercetin belongs to a big group of plant chemicals known as flavonoids, which give flowers and fruits their color. Many foods are high in quercetin, including apples and onions (especially the outer rings).

Quercetin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also has anti-allergy properties — at least in the lab. One study found that quercetin stabilized special cells called mast cells. These cells secrete a chemical called histamine, which contributes to a lot of allergy symptoms, such as runny noses and itching.

By stabilizing the mast cells, quercetin helped to decrease the release of histamine, which could help decrease allergy symptoms. In this study, quercetin worked just as well as cromolyn, which is a prescription medication sometimes used for allergies.

The problem, of course, is that what happens in a lab doesn't necessarily always pan out in humans. And at this point, no studies have been done using quercetin for allergies that I am aware of. In practice, some people have told me that quercetin has been very helpful for their allergies, while others haven't seen any difference.

Some people say that quercetin can't work because it doesn't get absorbed in high enough amounts, and in the right form, to get the same effects we see in the lab. This is still an area of controversy.

However, keep in mind that even if lab results and human responses differ, it doesn't mean that quercetin doesn't work for anything. For instance, quercetin has been shown in a preliminary, well-designed trial to be helpful for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, in which men have chronic pain in the area around the prostate. This is a very difficult problem to treat with conventional medicine.

Quercetin may interact with some antibiotics, like those in the ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin family. And although it's rare, some people get headaches or tingling in their hands and feet when they take it.

Dr. Astrid Pujari is a Seattle M.D. with an additional degree as a medical herbalist; she practices at the Pujari Center and teaches as part of the residency programs at Virginia Mason and Swedish/Cherry Hill hospitals. Send questions to apujari@seattletimes.com for possible use in a column. All information is intended for education and not a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before following any suggestions.