Shams Elaheh, Zohrabi Dina, Omrani Ozra, Sanati Mohammad Hossein, Karimi-Dehkordi Maryam, Yazdanpanahi Nasrin, Moghadam Fatemeh Khademi, Zarezade Vahid
Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran.
Higher Education Institute, Meymeh, Iran.
JBRA Assist Reprod. 2025 Feb 21;29(2):211-8. doi: 10.5935/1518-0557.20240097.
Quercetin is a flavonoid compound extracted from fruits and plants and is used as a natural antioxidant to prevent or treat a variety of diseases such as cancer, obesity, chronic inflammation, and reproductive system dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quercetin on obesity and ovarian tissue by analyzing the expression of genes involved in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, including ob-Rb, ob-Ra, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and Kisspeptin (Kiss-1).
In this experimental study, female rats were divided into three groups, and the effect of quercetin with doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg on weight and BMI was investigated. Also, the gene expression was assessed using the real-time PCR technique. The estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH were assessed using the chemiluminescence technique. The diameter and number of different types of follicles, corpus luteum, and blood vessels in mice were investigated. The growth indicators of the children, including the number, weight, and height and head width of the born children, were checked.
Quercetin caused a decrease in BMI, a significant increase in the expression of ob-Rb, ob-Ra, and Bdnf genes, a significant decrease in the expression of NPY and Kiss-1 genes, and led to an increase in sex hormones. Quercetin improved follicular indices and increased the number of mouse embryos.
Probably, quercetin affects the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis by changing the expression of genes, and it helps to reduce obesity and increase fertility and better function of the reproductive system.
槲皮素是一种从水果和植物中提取的黄酮类化合物，用作天然抗氧化剂，用于预防或治疗多种疾病，如癌症、肥胖症、慢性炎症和生殖系统功能障碍。本研究的目的是通过分析参与下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺轴的基因表达，包括瘦素受体b（ob-Rb）、瘦素受体a（ob-Ra）和脑源性神经营养因子（Bdnf）、神经肽Y（NPY）和亲吻素（Kiss-1），来研究槲皮素对肥胖和卵巢组织的影响。
在本实验研究中，将雌性大鼠分为三组，研究剂量为50和100mg/kg的槲皮素对体重和体重指数（BMI）的影响。此外，使用实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）技术评估基因表达。使用化学发光技术评估雌激素、孕酮、促卵泡生成素（FSH）和促黄体生成素（LH）。研究小鼠不同类型卵泡、黄体和血管的直径和数量。检查子代的生长指标，包括出生子代的数量、体重、身高和头宽。
槲皮素导致BMI降低，ob-Rb、ob-Ra和Bdnf基因表达显著增加，NPY和Kiss-1基因表达显著降低，并导致性激素增加。槲皮素改善了卵泡指标并增加了小鼠胚胎数量。
槲皮素可能通过改变基因表达影响下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺轴，有助于减轻肥胖、提高生育能力和改善生殖系统功能。
