Effect of flaxseed oil on biochemical parameters, hormonal indexes and stereological changes in ovariectomized rats

Management of a Patient With Premenstrual Syndrome Using Acupuncture, Supplements, and Meditation: A Case Report

Objective

The purpose of this case report was to describe a multimodal approach for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Clinical Features

A 36-year-old nulliparous woman presented to a free clinic for veterans and their spouses. She received a PMS diagnosis at age 18. She was previously prescribed hormonal birth control and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which minimally affected her condition. She stopped using conventional medicine therapies at age 27. Laboratory results showed that her progesterone was below 0.5 ng/mL. Her symptom score was 50 out of 60 on the Treatment Strategies for PMS assessment tool. During her menses, she experienced low back pain and stiffness, bloating, swelling, weight gain, breast tenderness, swelling, and pain, and she felt overwhelmed and stressed.

Intervention and Outcome

Traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture was administered in conjunction with 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) and a B-100 complex once a day and 400 mg of magnesium citrate, 1000 mg of flaxseed oil (Linum usitatissimum), and 1000 mg of turmeric (Curcuma longa) twice a day. Five days before the onset of her menstrual period, she was to ingest a B-100 complex twice a day and 400 mg of magnesium citrate, 1000 mg of flaxseed oil, and 1000 mg of turmeric 3 times a day. Mindfulness meditation was encouraged twice a day for 10 minutes to reduce stress. After 12 treatments over 3 months, her symptom score decreased to 18 out of 60 and remained below 20 for an additional 32 weeks.

Conclusion

This patient with PMS symptoms positively responded to a multimodal approach using traditional Chinese medicine-style acupuncture, dietary supplements, and mindfulness meditation.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root combined with Linum usitatissimum oil as an alternative for hormone replacement therapy in ovariectomized rats

Objective

Plant-derived estrogens (phytoestrogens) with structural similarity to primary female sex hormones could be suitable replacements for sex hormones. Therefore, the effects of the licorice root extract and Linum usitatissimum oil on biochemical and hormonal indices in the serum and uterine stereological changes in ovariectomized rats were evaluated.

Design

In this study, 70 adult female rats were randomly divided into seven groups including 1) control group, 2) sham-operated group, 3) ovariectomized (OVX) group, 4) OVX rats that received 1 mg/kg estradiol for 8 weeks at the day of post-operation, 5) OVX rats which received 2.0 mg/kg body wt Linum usitatissimum oil for 8 weeks at the day of post-operation, 6) OVX rats which received 2.0 mg/kg body wt licorice extract for 8 weeks at the day of post-operation, and 7) OVX rats which received 2.0 mg/kg body wt Linum usitatissimum oil + 2.0 mg/kg body wt licorice extract for 8 weeks at the day of post-operation. After eight weeks, alkaline phosphatase activity, as well as calcium, estradiol, and progesterone concentrations were assessed and tissue samples of the uterus were serologically examined.

Results

The results indicated that after 8 weeks of OVX the alkaline phosphatase activity (Mean = 637.7 IU/L) increased and the calcium (Mean = 7.09 mg/dl), estradiol (5.30 pmol/L), and progesterone (Mean = 3.53 nmol/L) reduced compared to other groups. Moreover, stereological changes in the uterus in ovariectomy groups were seen compared to the other groups. The treatment with Linum usitatissimum oil and licorice extract had a significant therapeutic effect on biochemical factors and stereological changes compared to the ovariectomized group.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that the combination of Linum usitatissimum oil with licorice extract showed the high potential of hormone replacement therapy in the reduction of OVX complications.

Exploring the safe utilization strategy of calcareous agricultural land irrigated with wastewater for over 50 years

The trace element (TE) contamination of farmland caused by wastewater irrigation threatens food security and food safety. We selected a typical calcareous soil area in western China that has been irrigated with wastewater for >50 years to explore safe use strategies for flax farmland contaminated by cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). We found that Cd and As were mainly accumulated in flax roots rather than seeds. However, regardless of the type of TE and acceptor, direct ingestion of the flaxseed would seriously endanger human health (hazard quotient >1). According to the results of redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis, the concentration of Cd and As in flaxseed depended on the concentration of soil total TE, Olsen phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, soil organic matter, and active calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). This was largely because the pH and total CaCO₃ content in topsoil of flax farmland decreased by 1.05 units and 37 %, respectively, compared with their background levels before wastewater irrigation. Interestingly, after pressing, Cd and As in flaxseed transferred to flaxseed oil were 3.87-10.55 % and 17.21-30.48 %, respectively, which led to an acceptable risk of adults and children (hazard quotient <1) consuming flaxseed oil. Our results suggest that with the production of flaxseed oil as the goal, the long-term wastewater-irrigated calcareous land can be safely utilized while obtaining income.

The effects of melatonin and metformin on histological characteristics of the ovary and uterus in letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome mice: A stereological study

Background

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with anovulation, hyperandrogenism, ovarian and uterine histological changes, menstrual irregularities, etc. signs is an infertility type. It seems that melatonin and metformin can improve these abnormalities.

Objective

To evaluate the effects of melatonin and metformin on the ovary and uterus in PCOS-induced mice using stereological methods.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-two adult female BALB/c mice (8-wk-old, 20-30 gr) were randomly divided into control (distilled water, gavage), PCOS (90 µg/kg letrozole, gavage), PCOS+metformin (500 mg/kg, gavage), PCOS+melatonin (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection), and PCOS+melatonin control (0.5% ethanol saline) groups (n = 12/each). Another PCOS group was kept for a month to ensure that PCOS features remained. Finally, a stereological evaluation of the uterus and ovary was carried out, and vaginal cytology and serum testosterone levels were assessed.

Results

PCOS mice treated with metformin and melatonin had lower testosterone levels, body weight, and more regular estrus cycles than the PCOS group (p ≤ 0.001). A significant decrease in conglomerate and daughter gland numbers, and primary, secondary, atretic, and cystic follicles numbers with a significant increase in primordial and Graafian follicles, and corpus luteum numbers (p ≤ 0.001) was seen in these treated mice. Also, endometrial vessels' volume and length significantly increased, but ovarian, endometrial, myometrial, stromal, and glands volume, and endometrial and myometrial thickness dramatically declined (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

It appears that metformin and melatonin could restore the PCOS phenotype including estrus cycle irregularity, high testosterone level, and ovarian and uterine micromorphology to the control levels. However, the 2 treatments had similar effects on the examined parameters.

Investigating the Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Licorice Root to Prevent Ovariectomy-Mediated Complications

Introduction. The importance of women’s health and the quality of life after menopause is a critical issue. To prevent disability and menopause complications as well as avoid the side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), in this study, licorice hydroalcoholic extract (Glycyrrhiza uralensis roots) was evaluated as a natural remedy. Methods. Seventy-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: control group, Sham-operated group, Glycyrrhiza (Gly) 30% group, and ovariectomized group as well as two ovariectomized groups treated with Gly 10% and Gly 30%. Normal saline and different treatments were administered orally for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, estrogen, and progesterone levels in the ovariectomized rats were determined. Moreover, the stereological and histopathological changes in uterine tissue in all groups were determined. Phytochemical analyses were also performed to determine the total phenolic content and antioxidant potential of the extract. Result. The hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root exhibited considerable effect to improve calcium, estrogen, and progesterone levels in the ovariectomized rats. Also, hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root successfully decreases the amount of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level. The stereological and histopathological findings confirmed the therapeutic potential of this extract. The considerable effects of hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root could be due to high amounts of phytoestrogens with similar estrogen-like structures. Considerable total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were also seen in licorice root extract. Conclusion. Hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root due to containing high amounts of phytoestrogens with similar chemical structures to estradiol notably improves biochemical parameters as well as stereological and histopathological markers of uterine tissues in ovariectomy rats, so it could be a potential agent for prevention and/or treatment as hormone replacement therapy in healthy middle-aged and/or older women.

Effect of flaxseed oil on biochemical parameters, hormonal indexes and stereological changes in ovariectomized rats

The ovariectomized rat is a widely used preclinical model for studying postmenopausal and its complications. In this study, the therapeutic effect of flaxseed oil on the ovariectomized adult rats was investigated. Our results showed that biochemical parameters including calcium, oestrogen and progesterone levels increase 8 weeks after ovariectomy in rats. Also, the amount of alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly after 8 weeks compared with the OVX rat. The healing potential of flaxseed oil was proven by successfully recovering the affected tissue and preventing the unpleasant symptoms of ovariectomized rats. The biological effects of flaxseed oil may be due to high amounts of fatty acids, phytoestrogens and an array of antioxidants. The results suggest that flaxseed oil can mimic the action of oestrogen and can be a potential treatment for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).