Effect of Gossypol on Rat Ovarian Reserve and Folliculogenesis, The role of Quercetin and Curcumin

Abstract

G OSSYPOL is a poisonous yellow polyphenolic pigment found in cotton plants (Gossypium spp.), which inhibits animal reproduction. Gossypol also affects steroidogenesis, nuclear maturation, follicular size, granulosa cell proliferation, and steroidogenic activity. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effect of gossypol on rat ovarian physiology and detect the probable beneficial effects of quercetin and curcumin. Forty-eight female albino rats were divided into six groups: control, gossypol, quercetin, curcumin, (gossypol and quercetin), and (gossypol and curcumin) were administered orally at different doses for 35 days. The results showed that gossypol significantly decreased body, ovarian and uterine weights, whereas, neither quercetin or curcumin treatments with gossypol showed any significant improvement in body, ovarian, and uterine weight compared to the gossypol group. Gossypol group showed the highest number of growing ovarian follicles compared with the control group. The two groups of quercetin, curcumin with gossypol showed a significant increase in the antral ovarian follicles compared with gossypol treatment. This study concluded that gossypol had negative effects on body, uterus and ovaries which led to a decrease in their weights. In addition, the use of antioxidants (quercetin or curcumin) with these doses and duration of the treatment has minor effects to reverse or ameliorate gossypol harmful effects.