The potential protective effect of Ferulic acid against gamma irradiation induced ovarian failure in rats

This study aims to evaluate the radioprotective effect of Ferulic acid (FA) against ovarian damage in premature female rats. Four groups of female rats were used (ten rats in each group). Group (1): Control, Group (2): Irradiation (IRR) (rats were exposed to 4Gy of whole body gamma irradiation as a single dose), Group (3): FA (rats received 50mg/kgb.wt of Ferulic acid orally for two weeks) and Group (4): FA+IRR (rats received Ferulic acid as group 3 then exposed to 4Gy as group2). The rats were sacrificed after 24h of irradiation. The level of FSH, LH, and E2were estimated in the serum. The level of H2O2 and GPx activity and the gene expression of cytochrome C, P53 and caspase3 were evaluated in ovarian tissue. Histopathological examination of the ovary and uterus tissues was performed. The results revealed that gamma irradiation caused an elevation in FSH, LH, H2O2, cytochrome C, P53 and caspase3 and a decline in E2 and GPx. The administration of FA prior gamma irradiation led to an improvement in female hormones, H2O2, GPx and apoptotic markers and matched the histopathological examination results. It could be concluded that Ferulic acid may exert aradioprotective effect against irradiation induced apoptosis in the ovary of rats and alteration in the level of serum female hormones.