Effect of Parquetina nigrescens (Afzel.) Leaves on Letrozole-Induced PCOS in Rats: a Molecular Insight into Its Phytoconstituents

This study investigated the effect of ethanolic extracts of P. nigrescens leaves on the estrous cycle, fasting blood glucose, and hormonal and lipid profile in letrozole-induced PCOS rats and also evaluated the molecular mechanism of the active constituents using computational methods. After the induction of PCOS with letrozole, rats were treated orally for 14 days with distilled water (1 mg/kg/day), clomiphene citrate (2 mg/kg/day), metformin (7.14 mg/kg/day), and ethanolic extract of P. nigrescens (50 and 100 mg). Thereafter, selected biochemical parameters were assayed to determine the extract's effect on the estrous cycle. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) were carried out to determine the binding affinity and relative stability of the ligand-receptor complexes. Letrozole-induced PCOS rats showed irregular estrous cyclicity, elevated (p > 0.05) triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), total cholesterol, insulin, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration, low (p > 0.05) progesterone, low follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and high fasting blood glucose concentration compared to that of the control group. The reproductive, biochemical, and structural alterations were reversed by the administration of ethanolic extract of P. nigrescens leaves (50 mg/kg) which restored the estrous cycle after 14 days of treatment. However, the ethanolic extracts of P. nigrescens (100 mg/...
Source: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Source Type: research