Protective effect of green tea against ovarian and endometrial apoptoses in rats treated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate

This study aimed to investigate whether an extract of green tea (GT) modulates the apoptotic, superoxide-dismutase (SOD), and endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase (eNOS) levels in rats treated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). Twenty-five female Wistar rats were divided into the following groups (n = 5 rats each): control group, received DMPA, DMPA plus GT extract at doses of 10.8 mg/day (DMPA + GT₁), DMPA plus DMPA plus GT extract at doses of 21.6 mg/day (DMPA + GT₂), and DMPA plus DMPA plus GT extract at doses of 43.2 mg/day (DMPA + GT₃). The treatment with DMPA plus GT was performed for 4 weeks. The ovarian and endometrial apoptotic indices were significantly higher in the DMPA group compared with the untreated control group (p < 0.05). This increase was significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated by all dose treatments of DMPA plus GT. The DMPA significantly decreased the SOD (ovarian) and eNOS (endometrial) levels compared with the untreated group. The decrease in the SOD level was significantly attenuated by highest doses of the extract. The decrease in the eNOS expression was significantly attenuated by two highest doses of the extract. In conclusion, DMPA induces apoptosis of the ovary and endometrium. The GT extract prohibits the increase in ovarian apoptosis, at least in part by modulation of the SOD. In the endometrium, this effect may be due to the modulation of the eNOS expression. Therefore, this may provide a natural therapy for attenuating the ovaries and endometrial dysfunction found in DMPA users.