Effect of Saraca asoca (Asoka) on estradiol-induced keratinizing metaplasia in rat uterus
-
Adangam Purath Shahid
Abstract
Background: Estrogen-mediated uterus endometrium instability is considered as one of the etiological factors in dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) and uterine cancer. Saraca asoca (Family: Fabaceae) and its fermented preparation, Asokarishta, are extensively used as uterine tonic to treat gynecological disorders in Ayurveda. The present study evaluated the effect of S. asoca (Asoka) on estrogen-induced endometrial thickening of rat uterus.
Methods: Endometrial thickening was induced by intraperitoneal injection of estradiol (20 μg/kg b.wt) to 8-day-old immature rats for alternate 5 days. Methanolic extract (200 mg/kg b. wt) from S. asoca bark was given orally along with estradiol. Uterus endometrial thickening was analyzed histopathologically and serum estrogen level by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Cyclooxygenase (COX-2) expression in rat uterus was also estimated by Western blot. Anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was analyzed by formalin- and carrageenan-elicited paw edema models in mouse.
Results: Uterus endometrium proliferation and keratinized metaplasia with seven to eight stratified epithelial layers on day 16 was observed in rats administered with estradiol. Treatment with S. asoca reduced the thickening to two to four layers and the serum estrogen level diminished significantly to 82.9±12.87 pg/mL compared to rats administered with estrogen alone (111.2±10.68 pg/mL). A reduction of formalin- and carrageenan-induced paw edema in mouse by S. asoca extract was observed. Lower level of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced COX-2 enzyme in rat uterus by the extract further confirms its anti-inflammatory activity.
Conclusions: Present study reveals the antiproliferative and antikeratinizing effects of S. asoca in uterus endometrium possibly through its anti-estrogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Department of AYUSH (No. Z 18017/187/Pr.GO/KE-05/2007-08-NMPB), New Delhi for the financial support.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
References
1. Middelkoop TB, Labadie RP. Evaluation of Asokaristha, an indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka. J Ethnopharmacol 1983;8:13–20.10.1016/0378-8741(83)90068-5Search in Google Scholar
2. Verma AB, Saroj A, Gautam B, Dubey C, Tripathi S. Review on ethnobotanical importance of Saraca indica. IJPRS 2014;3: 313–21.Search in Google Scholar
3. Varghese CD, Nair SC, Panikkar B, Panikkar KR. Effect of Asoka on the intracellular glutathione levels and skin tumour promotion in mice. Cancer Lett 1993;69:45–50.10.1016/0304-3835(93)90031-4Search in Google Scholar
4. Verma A, Jana GK, Sen S, Chakraborty R, Sachan S, Mishra A. Pharmacological evaluation of Saraca indica leaves for central nervous system depressant activity in mice. J Pharm Sci Res 2010;2:338–43.Search in Google Scholar
5. Hattori M, Nakabayashi T, Lim YA, Miyashio H, Kurokawa M, Gupta MP. Inhibitory effects of various Ayurvaedic and Panamanian medicinal plants on the infection of herpes simplex virus-1 in vitro and in vivo. Phytother Res 1995;9:270–76.10.1002/ptr.2650090408Search in Google Scholar
6. Satyavati GV, Prasad DN, Sen SP, Das PK. Oxytotic activity of a pure phenolic glycoside (P2) from Saraca indica. Indian J Med Res 1970;58:660–63.Search in Google Scholar
7. Saha JC, Savini EC, Kasinathan S. Ecbolic properties of Indian medicinal plants. Ind J Med Res 1961;49:130–51.Search in Google Scholar
8. Saha J, Mitra T, Gupta K, Mukherjee S. Phytoconstituents and HPTLC analysis in Saraca asoca (roxb.) Wilde. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci 2012;4:96–9.Search in Google Scholar
9. Karnick CR. Some useful crude-drug plants of the Hindu system of medicine. Acta Phytother 1970;17:181–4.Search in Google Scholar
10. Khan MA, Khan T, Ahmad Z. Barks used as source of medicine in Madhya Pradesh, India. Fitoterapia 1994;5:444–6.Search in Google Scholar
11. John D. One hundred useful raw drugs of the Kani tribes of Trivandrum Forest Division, Kerala, India. Int J Crude Drug Res 1984;22:17–39.10.3109/13880208409070646Search in Google Scholar
12. Kumar Y, Haridasan K, Rao RR. Ethnobotanical notes on certain medicinal plants among some Garo people around Balphakram Sanctuary in Meghalaya. Bull Bot Surv 1980;22:161–5.Search in Google Scholar
13. Middelkoop TB, Labadie RP. Proanthocyanidins in the bark of Saraca asoca Roxb de Wilde. Naturforsch Ser 1985;40:855–7.10.1515/znb-1985-0630Search in Google Scholar
14. Sweet MG, Schmidt-Dalton TA, Weiss PM. Evaluation and management of abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal women. Am Fam Physician 2012;85:35–43.Search in Google Scholar
15. Agarwal AK, Durani S, Setty BS. Dose dependent modulation of receptor dynamics and uterine growth in immature rat by estradiol: importance of an additional nuclear binding at 24 h for long-term (72 h) uterine growth. Endokrinologie 1982;79:235–41.Search in Google Scholar
16. Zhang Q, Shen Q, Celestino J, Milam M R, Westin SN, Lacour RA, et al. Enhanced estrogen-induced proliferation in obese rat endometrium. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;200:186–7.10.1016/j.ajog.2008.08.064Search in Google Scholar
17. Loeb L, Suntzeff V, Burns EL. Growth processes induced by estrogenic hormones in the uterus of the mouse. Am J Cancer 1938;34:413–27.Search in Google Scholar
18. Vijayasaradhi S, Khar A, Gupta PD. Effect of steroid hormones on vaginal epithelial cells: an in vitro model for steroid hormone action. J Biosci 1987;12:257–65.10.1007/BF02703070Search in Google Scholar
19. Bo WJ. The effect of vitamin A deficiency and estrogen on the uterus. Am J Clin Nutr 1961;9:13–22.10.1093/ajcn/9.4.13Search in Google Scholar
20. Firmin-Gomes-Teixeira Z, Anthonioz P. Estrogens induce malpighian metaplasia of the endocervical junction in female rats immunohistochemistry study. Biol Struct Morphog 1989;2:45–53.Search in Google Scholar
21. Ferenczy A. Pathophysiology of endometrial bleeding. Maturitas 2003;30;45:1–14.10.1016/S0378-5122(03)00068-9Search in Google Scholar
22. Srivastava GN, Bagchi GD, Srivastava AK. Ashoka (Saraca indica Willd). A potential Ayurvedic drug. Indian Drugs 1984;24:496–506.Search in Google Scholar
23. Gopumadhavan S, Venkataranganna MV, Raffiq M, Madhumathi BG, Mitra SK Evaluation of the estrogenic effect of Menosan using the rat models of uterotrophic assay. Medicine Update 2005;11:37–41.Search in Google Scholar
24. Pradhan P, Joseph L, Gupta V, Chulet R, Arya H, Verma R, Bajpai A. Saraca asoca (Asoka): a review. J Chem Pharm Res 2009;1:62–7.Search in Google Scholar
25. Winter CA, Risley EA, Nuss GW. Carageenan induced edema in the hind paw of rat as an assay for anti-inflammatory activity. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1962;111:544–47.10.3181/00379727-111-27849Search in Google Scholar PubMed
26. Nalbandov AV. Reproduction in female mammals and birds: In Nalbandov AV, editor. Reproductive physiology. Bombay, India: D.B. Taraporewala Sons and co. Pvt. Ltd, 1970:124–7.Search in Google Scholar
27. Turner RA. Screening methods in pharmacology. New York: Academic Press, vol 2, 1971.Search in Google Scholar
28. Vijayasaradhi S, Gupta PD. Keratinization of rat vaginal epithelium. II. Immunofluorescence study on keratin filaments in cycling and estrogen primed rats. J Biosci 1988;13:109–16.10.1007/BF02903091Search in Google Scholar
29. Mishra A, Kumar A, Rajbhar N, Kumar A. Phytochemical and pharmacological importance of Saraca indica. IJCPS 2013;2:1009–13.Search in Google Scholar
30. Panchawat S, Sisodia SS. In vitro antioxidant activity of Saraca asoca Roxb. De Wilde stem bark extracts from various extraction processes. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2010;3:231–33.Search in Google Scholar
©2015 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Review
- Implications of sodium hydrogen exchangers in various brain diseases
- Mini Review
- A perspective on role of calcium and vitamin D in cardiovascular outcomes and lipid profile
- Cardiovascular Function
- Space weather and human deaths distribution: 25 years’ observation (Lithuania, 1989–2013)
- Cardiovascular-Pulmonary Interactions
- Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of theophylline and doxofylline in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Oxidative Stress
- Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of stems of Smilax zeylanica in vitro
- Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of hydromethanolic extract of Daniella oliveri leaves in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats
- Inhibition of metalloproteinase and proteasome activities in colon cancer cells by citrus peel extracts
- Inflammation
- Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Tectona grandis Linn. stem extract
- Cyperus rotundus L. prevents non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced gastric mucosal damage by inhibiting oxidative stress
- Evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, phytochemical and toxicological properties of the methanolic leaf extract of commercially processed Moringa oleifera in some laboratory animals
- Jobelyn® exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and membrane-stabilizing activities in experimental models
- Phytotherapy
- Effect of Saraca asoca (Asoka) on estradiol-induced keratinizing metaplasia in rat uterus
- Others
- The effect of nicotine and cotinine on human gingival fibroblasts attachment to root surfaces
- Congress Abstracts
- Israel Society for Auditory Research (ISAR) 2015 Annual Scientific Conference
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Review
- Implications of sodium hydrogen exchangers in various brain diseases
- Mini Review
- A perspective on role of calcium and vitamin D in cardiovascular outcomes and lipid profile
- Cardiovascular Function
- Space weather and human deaths distribution: 25 years’ observation (Lithuania, 1989–2013)
- Cardiovascular-Pulmonary Interactions
- Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of theophylline and doxofylline in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Oxidative Stress
- Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of stems of Smilax zeylanica in vitro
- Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of hydromethanolic extract of Daniella oliveri leaves in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats
- Inhibition of metalloproteinase and proteasome activities in colon cancer cells by citrus peel extracts
- Inflammation
- Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Tectona grandis Linn. stem extract
- Cyperus rotundus L. prevents non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced gastric mucosal damage by inhibiting oxidative stress
- Evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, phytochemical and toxicological properties of the methanolic leaf extract of commercially processed Moringa oleifera in some laboratory animals
- Jobelyn® exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and membrane-stabilizing activities in experimental models
- Phytotherapy
- Effect of Saraca asoca (Asoka) on estradiol-induced keratinizing metaplasia in rat uterus
- Others
- The effect of nicotine and cotinine on human gingival fibroblasts attachment to root surfaces
- Congress Abstracts
- Israel Society for Auditory Research (ISAR) 2015 Annual Scientific Conference
