Murside Ayse Demirel

Thuja occidentalis L. and its active compound, α-thujone: Promising effects in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome without inducing osteoporosis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae) has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, amenorrhea, cystitis, and uterine carcinomas, and as an abortifacient and contraceptive. AIM OF THE STUDY The present study aimed to determine whether T. occidentalis oil and α-thujone could be beneficial in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). MATERIALS AND METHODS T. occidentalis oil and α-thujone were administered to rats with letrozole-induced PCOS for 21 days. At the end of 21 days, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were taken by cardiac puncture. The levels of serum gonadotropins, steroids, blood lipid, leptin, and glucose and the values of antioxidant parameters were measured. RESULTS The results demonstrated that estradiol and progesterone levels significantly increased, while luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels decreased in the T. occidentalis- and α-thujone-administered groups. The plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), leptin, and glucose concentrations were also significantly decreased in the T. occidentalis and α-thujone groups when compared to the control group. Histopathological findings demonstrated that the T. occidentalis and α-thujone groups displayed good healing. According to the phytochemical analyses, 25 compounds were identified in the T. occidentalis oil. The main constituents of the oil were the monoterpene ketones α- and β-thujone, fenchone, and sabinene, as well as the diterpenes beyerene and rimuene. CONCLUSION T. occidentalis essential oil and its active component, α-thujone, can be used for the treatment of PCOS without inducing osteoporosis.

Ovarian remnant syndrome and uterine stump pyometra in three queens.

Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is the presence of functional ovarian tissue with signs of oestrus as a complication after ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or ovariectomy. Stump pyometra is another complication that can be observed after OHE. However, there are few reports about ORS and stump pyometra in queens. In this report, three queens with recurrent oestrous behaviours after OHE are described. In two queens, ORS with stump pyometra was diagnosed and in one queen ORS alone was diagnosed by physical examination, medical history, vaginal cytology and ultrasonography. Remnant ovarian and uterine tissues were removed by laparotomy. Two queens recovered without any complications; however, one queen died 2 days after surgery. This study reveals that ORS and stump pyometra can result in severe disease and can be fatal.

Experimental endometriosis remission in rats treated with Achillea biebersteinii Afan.: histopathological evaluation and determination of cytokine levels

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study is to assess the beneficial effects of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. in the treatment of endometriosis in order to find scientific evidence for the folkloric use of this plant. STUDY DESIGN Experimental endometriosis was induced in six-week-old female, nonpregnant, Sprague Dawley rats by suturing a 15mm piece of endometrium from uterine cornu into abdominal wall. After twenty-eight days, a second laparotomy was performed: the endometrial foci areas were measured and intra-abdominal adhesions were scored, and the abdomen was closed. Different groups then received n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts prepared from the aerial parts of A. biebersteinii, and a control group received inert material, administered per os once a day throughout the experiment. At the end of the treatment procedure all rats were sacrified and endometriotic foci areas and intra-abdominal adhesions were again evaluated and compared with the previous findings. The tissues were also histopathologically investigated. Moreover, peritoneal fluid was collected to detect tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Dunnetts test was used to determine the significance of differences between groups. In order to compare two groups Students t test was used. RESULTS Post-treatment volumes of endometrial foci were found to be significantly decreased, and no adhesion was detected, in the EtOAc extract treated group. The levels of TNF-α, VEGF and IL-6 also fell after the treatment with EtOAc extract. The therapeutic effect of the EtOAc extract of A. biebersteinii could be attributed to the flavonoid aglycones found in the extract. CONCLUSION The EtOAc extract of A. biebersteinii appears to be a promising alternative for the treatment of endometriosis.

The Role of Secondary Metabolites on Gynecologic Cancer Therapy: Some Pathways and Mechanisms

Gynecologic cancers are among the most common cancers in humans and animals. Treatment success depends on several factors including stage at diagnosis, tumor type, origin and metastasis. Currently, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are preferred in the treatment of these cancers. However, many anticarcinogenic drugs can cause severe adverse effects and also the expected response to treatment may not be obtained. In recent studies, the importance of the relationship between cancer and inflammation has been emphasized. Therefore, several phytochemicals that exhibit beneficial bioactive effects towards inflammatory pathways were proven to have anticarcinogenic potential for gynecologic cancer therapy. This review summarizes the role of inflammatory pathways in gynecologic cancers and effective secondary metabolites for cancer therapy.