Diosgenin does not express estrogenic activity: a uterotrophic assay
2014
Authors:
Jarić, IvanaRistić, Nataša
Živanović, Jasmina
Šošić-Jurjević, Branka
Filipović, Branko
Milošević, Verica
Nestorović, Nataša
Document Type:
Article (Published version)
,
© 2014 NRC Research Press; Canadian Science Publishing; National Research Council of Canada
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
This study assessed the effects of diosgenin on estrogenic activity
using a uterotrophic assay. Immature female rats received diosgenin
orally at doses of 200, 100, or 20 mg/kg body mass; and 17 alpha
ethynylestradiol at doses of 1 or 0.3 mu g/kg, daily, for 3 consecutive
days from day 19 to day 21. Controls were distributed among 2 groups: an
intact control group and a vehicle control group. Animals were
sacrificed 24 h after the last application of diosgenin, estradiol, or
vehicle (22nd day of life). Uterine wet weight, stereological and
histomorphometrical changes, immunohistochemical expression of estrogen
receptor alpha (ER alpha), progesterone receptor (PR), and the
expression of lactoferrin (LF) were examined. Diosgenin did not affect
the uterine wet weight, epithelium height, volume densities of
endometrium, endometrial epithelia, number of endometrial glands, or
histological appearance of vaginal epithelia. ER alpha, PR, and LF
immunostaining intensity were not altered in the animals that received
diosgenin. High-potency reference ER agonist 17 alpha-ethynylestradiol
induced a significant increase in all of the measured parameters, and as
expected, decreased ER alpha immunostaining intensity. Based on these
data, it can be concluded that diosgenin, at doses of 20-200 mg/kg, did
not act as an estrogen agonist in the immature rat uterotrophic assay.
Keywords:
diosgenin; estradiol; uterotrophic assay; immature rat; uterus; vagina.Source:
Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2014, 92, 4, 292-298
DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2013-0419
ISSN: 1205-7541