Zhang Gao, He Man, Wang Zun, Zheng Jinrong, Zhao Dan, Nie Li, Yuan Dongzhi, Zhao Ziyu, Wang Wei, Yue Limin
Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine Sichuan University Chengdu China.
South China Biopharmaceutical (Shenzhen) Co, Ltd Shenzhen China.
Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Nov 20;12(12):10618-10627. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.4597. eCollection 2024 Dec.
To investigate the synergistic effect of astaxanthin and curcumin on ovarian function in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mice and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, fifty 4-week-old female mice were randomly divided into five groups: (i) normal control group; (ii) PCOS model group; (iii) PCOS + astaxanthin group; (iv) PCOS + curcumin group; and (v) PCOS + astaxanthin-curcumin. Throughout the study, various parameters were meticulously evaluated, including serum levels of key reproductive hormones (testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)), as well as monitoring alterations in the estrous cycle, follicle development, and ovulation rates. Additionally, markers of oxidative stress and inflammation were measured. Findings revealed that PCOS mice exhibited disordered estrous cycle, polycystic ovarian morphologies, abnormal serum reproductive hormones and lipid metabolism, heightened oxidative stress, and augmented inflammatory responses. Notably, upon administration of the combined astaxanthin and curcumin, PCOS mice exhibited significant improvements in their estrous cyclicity and ovarian histology. The treatment led to a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol (TC) levels and normalization of T, E2, FSH, LH, and AMH levels. Moreover, there was a marked decrease in the levels of serum reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), indicating attenuation of oxidative stress. Concurrently, the activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) significantly increased, while proinflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the ovarian tissue were notably decreased. The combined treatment also resulted in a substantial increase in the number of ova and a significant decline in the rate of abnormal ova, with these therapeutic effects proving more effective compared to either astaxanthin or curcumin alone. In conclusion, the co-administration of astaxanthin and curcumin demonstrated a remarkable effect in improving abnormal lipid metabolism and restoring reproductive endocrine functions in PCOS mice. Furthermore, it effectively mitigated systemic and local oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory injury, thereby promoting follicular growth and enhancing ovulatory function in the context of PCOS.
为了研究虾青素和姜黄素对多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）小鼠卵巢功能的协同作用并阐明其潜在机制，将50只4周龄雌性小鼠随机分为五组：（i）正常对照组；（ii）PCOS模型组；（iii）PCOS +虾青素组；（iv）PCOS +姜黄素组；以及（v）PCOS +虾青素-姜黄素组。在整个研究过程中，对各种参数进行了细致评估，包括关键生殖激素（睾酮（T）、雌二醇（E2）、促卵泡激素（FSH）、黄体生成素（LH）和抗苗勒管激素（AMH））的血清水平，以及监测动情周期、卵泡发育和排卵率的变化。此外，还测量了氧化应激和炎症标志物。结果显示，PCOS小鼠表现出动情周期紊乱、多囊卵巢形态、血清生殖激素和脂质代谢异常、氧化应激增强以及炎症反应加剧。值得注意的是，给予虾青素和姜黄素联合治疗后，PCOS小鼠的动情周期和卵巢组织学有显著改善。该治疗导致血清总胆固醇（TC）水平显著降低，T、E2、FSH、LH和AMH水平恢复正常。此外，血清活性氧（ROS）和丙二醛（MDA）水平显著降低，表明氧化应激减轻。同时，抗氧化酶过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性显著增加，而卵巢组织中的促炎细胞因子干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）和白细胞介素-6（IL-6）显著减少。联合治疗还使卵子数量大幅增加，异常卵子率显著下降，这些治疗效果比单独使用虾青素或姜黄素更有效。总之，虾青素和姜黄素联合给药在改善PCOS小鼠异常脂质代谢和恢复生殖内分泌功能方面显示出显著效果。此外，它有效减轻了全身和局部氧化应激以及慢性炎症损伤，从而在PCOS背景下促进卵泡生长并增强排卵功能。
