Protective effects of saffron against zearalenone-induced alterations in reproductive hormones in female mice (Mus musculus) / 대한생식의학회지

OBJECTIVE: Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin with potent estrogenic effects. Saffron is an herbal product that has antioxidant activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective role of saffron against reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA in female mice. METHODS: Ninety 8-week-old female mice were randomly allocated into three treatment groups. The first group received an intraperitoneal injection of ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days. The second group received ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days plus oral saffron daily (50 mg/kg). The third group was treated with a vehicle of 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on alternate days, as a control. Ten mice were euthanized from each group at 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) were assessed. The uterus and ovaries were examined for changes in size or morphology. RESULTS: Serum levels of LH, FSH, E2, and P in the female mice treated with ZEA plus saffron were significantly higher than in those treated with ZEA alone, and were not significantly different from those treated with 1% DMSO. The female mice treated with ZEA alone showed a reduction in size of the uterus and abnormal architecture of the ovaries. CONCLUSION: The administration of saffron to female mice resulted in a significant reduction in ZEA-induced alterations in reproductive hormone levels, the size of the uterus, and the morphology of the ovaries.

Effects of gonadotropin releasing hormone conjugate immunization and bioenhancing role of Kamdhenu ark on estrous cycle, serum estradiol and progesterone levels in female Mus musculus

Active immunization with gonadotropin releasing hormone conjugate [GnRH-BSA] manipulates the fertility axis and thus alters the reproductive cyclicity, serum estradiol and progesterone levels. While the application of Kamdhenu ark increases the efficacy of GnRH-BSA. This experimental investigation is aimed to evaluate the modulatory effects on estrous cycle, serum estradiol and progesterone levels in female mice after Kamdhenu ark and GnRH-BSA immunization. Sixty sexually mature female mice were divided into three groups of twenty each. Group I served as control, while group II was immunized with GnRH-BSA conjugate [50 micro g/animal] for 120 days. However, group III was supplemented with Kamdhenu ark [100 ppm] orally along with GnRH-BSA conjugate immunizations and their vaginal estrous cyclicity, serum estradiol and progesterone levels were estimated after 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of intervals. GnRH-BSA immunized females showed regular estrous cycle initially but after 13[th] day animals started showing irregular and prolonged estrous cycle with a complete diestrus stage after 65[th] day onwards. In connection of this, GnRH-BSA + Kamdhenu ark supplemented animals also showed regular cyclicity initially but later they showed more interrupted cycle with complete diestrus stage after 55[th] day. Besides this, the serum estradiol and progesterone levels lowered significantly in all the experimental groups as compared to control animals. The more severe decrease in hormonal levels was noticed in later part of the experiment especially in the group supplemented with Kamdhenu ark along with GnRH-BSA immunizations. All these observations suggest that the GnRH-BSA conjugate has a deleterious effect on the reproductive hormones and estrous cycle of female mice; and Kamdhenu ark acts as a bioenhancer in immunization efficacy to modulate these effects