Quercetin offers a variety of potential therapeutic uses, primarily in the prevention and treatment of the following conditions:
Allergies, asthma, and hives: Quercetin may inhibit histamine release from basophils (a type of white blood cell) and mast cells (large cells in connective tissue).
Canker sores: Quercetin may reduce the frequency of mouth sores and produce mild symptomatic relief.
Heart disease: Individuals with very low intakes of flavonoids are at higher risk for heart disease.
Infection: Quercetin may control the spread of certain viruses within the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Quercetin may help reduce tissue destruction. Quercetin may also be beneficial in the treatment of dysentery (an intestinal infection causing severe diarrhea), gout (a disease where crystals of uric acid, a component of urine, are deposited in the joints and cause swelling), and psoriasis (a chronic skin disease).