The Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Malva neglecta Wallr. in Surgically Induced Endometriosis Model in Rats

Esra Küpeli Akkol, Büşra Karpuz, Gizem Türkcanoğlu, Fatma Gül Coşgunçelebi, Hakkı Taştan, Michael Aschner, Anurag Khatkar, Eduardo Sobarzo‐Sánchez
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022 · vol. 27(22) , pp. 7869 · doi:10.3390/molecules27227869 · PMID:36431970 · PMC9695446 · W4309211392
article OA: gold CC0 ⤵ 4 in-corpus citations
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Methanol extract from Malva neglecta leaves significantly reduced endometriotic foci, adhesions, and pro-inflammatory markers TNF-α, VEGF, and IL-6 in a rat model, with polyphenols identified as the active compounds.

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Abstract

Leaves and aerial parts of Malva neglecta Wallr. have been traditionally used in Anatolia for the treatment of pain, inflammation, hemorrhoids, renal stones, constipation, and infertility. This study investigated the effects of M. neglecta leaves in a rat endometriosis model. The dried plant material was extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol, successively. Experimental endometriosis was surgically induced in six-week-old female, non-pregnant, Wistar albino rats by autotransplant of endometrial tissue to the abdominal wall. After twenty-eight days, rats were evaluated for a second laparotomy. Endometrial foci areas were assessed, and intraabdominal adhesions were scored. Rats were divided into five groups as control, n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts, as well as reference. At the end of the treatment, all rats were sacrificed and endometriotic foci areas and intraabdominal adhesions were re-evaluated and compared with the previous findings. Moreover, peritoneal fluid was collected to detect tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and cDNA synthesis, and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was done. The phytochemical content of the most active extract was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Both endometrial volume and adhesion score decreased significantly in the group treated with methanol extract. In addition, significant decreases were observed in TNF-α, VEGF, and IL-6 levels in animals administered methanol extract. HPLC results showed that the activity caused by the methanol extract of M. neglecta was due to the polyphenols. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that M. neglecta may be a promising alternative for the treatment of endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis

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