Phytochemical-Based Study of Ethanolic Extract of Saraca asoca in Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Female Adult Rats

Na Bu; Alina Jamil; Liaqat Hussain; Abdulrahman Alshammari; Thamer H Albekairi; Metab Alharbi; Ayesha Jamshed; Rizwan Rashid Bazmi; Anam Younas

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c05274

Phytochemical-Based Study of Ethanolic Extract of Saraca asoca in Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Female Adult Rats

ACS Omega. 2023 Nov 1;8(45):42586-42597. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05274. eCollection 2023 Nov 14.

Authors

Na Bu¹, Alina Jamil², Liaqat Hussain², Abdulrahman Alshammari³, Thamer H Albekairi³, Metab Alharbi³, Ayesha Jamshed⁴, Rizwan Rashid Bazmi⁵, Anam Younas²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 31006, P. R. China.
² Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan.
³ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan.

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder which affects women of reproductive age. It is a condition in which ovaries produce an excessive amount of androgen (the male sex hormone). Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Willd. is a plant of the Fabaceae family. This plant has been traditionally used as a uterine tonic in leucorrhea and dysmenorrhea due to its various pharmacological activities. In this study, the ethanolic extract of S. asoca (EESA) was evaluated for its potential to be used for the management of PCOS. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of various phytoconstituents: kaempferol, rutin, (-)-epicatechin, salicylic acid, and gallic acid. For PCOS induction, 30 adult female rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n = 5) and the PCOS group (n = 25). Letrozole (1 mg/kg/day) was administered per orally (p.o.) for a period of 7 weeks for the induction of disease. Weekly body weight measurements and daily vaginal cytology examinations were performed for disease confirmation. After disease induction, the PCOS group was further divided into five groups (n = 5), that is, disease control, metformin, and EESA (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg) groups, respectively, and given treatment doses for next 5 weeks. After the treatment period, all animals were weighed and euthanized humanly. Blood samples were collected for hormonal assays, lipid profiles, and liver function tests. For histological assessment of ovarian cysts, ovaries were dissected. Livers were preserved to evaluate EESA's antioxidant properties. Histopathology analysis revealed that EESA reduced body weight and the number of cystic follicles. Furthermore, it also lowered the elevated levels of serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone, insulin, and malonaldehyde in PCOS rats while increasing the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, and other antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and catalase. It can be concluded that EESA exhibited beneficial effects in normalizing the perturbed hormonal profile and improved the ovary status by decreasing the cystic follicle and improving the ovulation status in a dose-dependent manner.