Therapeutic effects of isoflavone-aglycone fraction from soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) in rats with estradiol valerate-induced polycystic ovary syndrome as an inflammatory state

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a proinflammatory/oxidative state resulting in metabolic dysregulation and ovarian dysfunction. Isoflavones in soybean seed possess anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties. So, in this study, the effects of soybean isoflavone-aglycones on tissue inflammation, oxidative status, and ovarian histology in an animal model of PCOS were considered to achieve a novel therapeutic agent. Thirty-two female Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): a control group receiving the vehicle (CON−); a group with PCOS receiving no treatment (PCOS); and two groups of PCOS rats treated with soybean isoflavone-aglycone fraction (SISAF) at 50 and 100 mg/kg (SISAF50 and SISAF100). PCOS was induced by injecting a single dose of estradiol valerate (4 mg/kg, IM) dissolved in 0.2 ml of sesame oil following 60 days for the full development of polycystic ovaries. The SISAF treatments were administered orally once a day for 21 days. Then, the ovaries were harvested for the assessment of oxidative/antioxidative parameters, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels concomitant with histological studies. Treatment with SISAF reduced the number of cystic follicles and thickness of the theca layer, as well as increasing the number of corpora lutea and granulosa cells in PCOS rats. Also, SISAF treatment significantly decreased ovarian tissue IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and improved total oxidative/antioxidative status compared to the PCOS group. Isoflavones may provide therapeutic effects in PCOS owing to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

摘要

多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是一种炎症/氧化状态, 导致代谢失调和卵巢功能紊乱。大豆异黄酮具有抗炎/抗氧化作用。因此, 本研究大豆异黄酮苷元组分对多囊卵巢综合征动物模型的组织炎症、氧化状态和卵巢组织学的影响, 从而获得一种新的治疗药物。32只雌性Wistar大鼠分为4组（n=8）：对照组为空载体处理（CON-）；一组PCOS未接受治疗（PCOS）；两组PCOS大鼠予以大豆异黄酮苷元治疗（SISAF）, 剂量分别为50mg/kg(SISAF50)和100mg/kg（SISAF100）处理。多囊卵巢综合征的建模为注射单剂量溶于0.2ml的麻油中的戊酸雌二醇（4mg/kg,IM）, 60天后完全发展为多囊卵巢。SISAF治疗组为每天口服一次连续21天。然后进行卵巢组织学研究, 分析氧化/抗氧化参数, 白细胞介素（IL）-6和肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α水平的评估。SISAF可以减少多囊卵巢综合征大鼠的囊泡数量和囊泡膜的厚度, 增加黄体细胞和颗粒细胞的数量。与PCOS组相比, SISAF治疗显著降低了卵巢组织IL-6和TNF-α水平, 改善了总氧化/抗氧化状态。异黄酮具有抗氧化和抗炎作用, 对多囊卵巢综合征有治疗作用。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Inflammation
• oxidative state
• PCOS
• soybean
• isoflavone-aglycone

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Mahdi Moridi Farimani of Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute of Shahid Beheshti University for his help in sample preparation and extraction.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.