The Effects of Clove Oil on The Biochemical and Histological Parameters, and Autophagy Markers in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Model Rats

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine whether syzygium aromaticum (clove) could help polycystic ovarysyndrome (PCOS) rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, forty adult female Wistar rats (weighing 250 ± 10 g) were dividedrandomly into five groups; G1: control, G2: PCOS group, G3: PCOS+clove (30 mg/kg/ orally/daily) group, G4:PCOS+clove (60 mg/kg/orally/daily) group, and G5: PCOS+gonadectomy group. The PCOS was induced by a singledose injection of estradiol valerate (16 mg/kg/IM). Following PCOS induction, the rats were treated for 14 days. Histologicalparameters, follicle apoptosis, mRNA expression of autophagy markers (Lc3, Beclin1), oxidative stress markers,insulin and blood glucose levels, as well as serum levels of aromatase and testosterone were evaluated in these rats.Finally, the ratio of serum luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels was also calculated.Results: The autophagy markers (Lc3, Beclin1), histological parameters, oxidative stress, insulin, and hormone levelschanged significantly in the PCOS rats (G2). In G3 and G5 groups, it was observed that the levels of LH/FSH and testosteronedecreased significantly in comparison to the PCOS group, and inhibition of autophagy was also observed inthese groups. Treatment with cloves in the G3 group significantly improved oxidative stress, histological parameters,and insulin levels.Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that oxidative stress, apoptosis, and excessive autophagy could be improvedby treatment with low doses of clove and gonadectomy. Cloves may help to improve these parameters by regulating andinhibiting excessive autophagy. However, discovering the direct role of this extract in regulating the parameters suchas oxidative stress, insulin, and androgens requires further investigation. In the present study, P<0.05 was consideredstatistically significant.

Keywords

• apoptosis
• autophagy
• oxidative stress
• polycystic ovary syndrome
• syzygium aromaticum (clove)