Key Points
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a female endocrine disorder. Metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance can activate hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and result in the increased production of androgens in PCOS patients. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of flaxseed on endocrine and histomorphometry changes of ovary and uterus in estradiol valerate-induced PCOS rats.
Treatment of PCOS with flaxseed extract significantly deceased level of testosterone in the treatment group compared to the PCOS group with no significant difference with the control groups. Treatment of the PCOS rats with flaxseed extracts had no significant changes on level of estradiol. Flaxseed can be considered for the management of women with PCOS and hyperandrogenism due to positive effects on menstrual regulation and hormonal concentration in postmenopausal women. Regarding to ovarian histomorphology, induction of PCOS resulted in significant reduction in the number of primary, preantral and antral follicles compared to the negative control group, while treatment with flaxseed improved the condition. Flaxseed was somewhat effective in the growth and development of follicles, and corpus luteum and reduces the cyst follicles after induction of PCOS. No significant differences in the average of endometrium and myometrium thickness was observed between study groups. The findings showed that hydroalcoholic extract of flaxseed attenuated PCOS in rats. Sex-steroid hormonal profile and histomorphometric characteristics of ovaries in treated rats were ameliorated by flaxseed. Further studies in PCOS women need to confirm therapeutic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of flaxseed.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Herbal medicines are an alternative choice for treatment or controlling of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of flaxseed was evaluated on ovarian hormones and histological changes of uterus and ovary in a PCOS-induced rat model. Materials and Methods: Twenty four rats divided into four groups including negative control, positive control, PCOS and treatment groups. Positive control group received hydroalcoholic extract of flaxseed for 30 days. PCOS was induced by single intramuscular injection of estradiol valerate. Treatment group was treated with flaxseed extract 7 weeks after induction of PCOS for 30 days. Ovaries and uterus were dissected out and their sections were used for histomorphometric study. Levels of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were measured in the serum. Results: In the treatment group, flaxseed extract increased level of progesterone (P<0.05), while decreased testosterone (P<0.05) compared with the PCOS group. Concentrations of estrogen and DHEA did not change significantly in comparison with the PCOS group. Histomorphometric study showed that in the treatment group, the number of preantral follicles, antral follicles and corpus luteum increased compared with the PCOS group (P<0.05), but the number of cystic follicles and diameter of antral follicles decreased (P<0.05), and the number of primary follicle did not alter significantly. In the treatment group, the thickness of granulosa layer increased, but the thickness of theca layer and tunica albuginea decreased compared to the PCOS group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hormonal profile and histomorphometric features of ovary that were disturbed by PCOS induction were ameliorated by hydroalcoholic extract of flaxseed.
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