Therapeutic Effects of Milk thistle Seeds (Silybum marianum) and Red Ginseng roots on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Induced by Letrozole in Female Rats

Abstract

: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of milk thistle seeds (MTS), red ginseng roots (RGR) and their mixture (Mix) on the biochemical and histopathologic indicators of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). 42 adult albino female rats Sprague-Dawley strain weighting (160±10g) were classified randomly into two groups: Group (I) 12 rats received a baseline diet served as negative control group; Group (II) 30 rats were given LTZ (1 mg/Kg b.wt) dissolved in saline by the gavage tube once daily for 21 days to induce PCOS. 6 rats from each two groups were slaughtered to confirm the occurrence of polycystic ovaries. Then, rats reclassified into 4 equal groups (6 rats each) as following: control positive group and 3 treated rat groups which administered MTS at (5%), RGR at (5%) and at (10%) of their Mix at (1:1), respectively with basal diet. The treatment period was designed for 42 days. The results indicated that basal diet supplementation with MTS or RGR and Mix reduced body weight and induced significant decrease in glycemic, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, lipid profile, antioxidant enzymes and inflammatory indices. Histopathological examination also confirmed the results of the biochemical analyzes in restoring estrous regularities, hormone regulation and alleviation abnormalities in ovarian tissue, due to this herbs anti-androgenic, anti-inflammatory qualities. So, it is recommended to use MTS or RGR and their mix as a dietary supplement to avoid PCOS incidence and its complications.