Restorative effects of Thai Mucuna pruriens seed extract on reproductive, hormonal, and fertility impairments in letrozole-induced PCOS rats.

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder, leading cause of female infertility, disrupted estrous cycles, hormonal dysregulation, and abnormal ovarian morphology. This study aimed to evaluate the restorative effects of Thai Mucuna pruriens (TMP) seed extract on reproductive, hormonal, and fertility impairments in a PCOS rat model induced by letrozole. Following PCOS induction, female rats received TMP extract at 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg BW for 30 consecutive days. Untreated PCOS rats displayed persistent diestrus, hormonal dysregulation, and polycystic ovaries, and no pregnancies were observed. After TMP treatment, especially at 300 mg/kg BW, significantly reversed these impairments: estrous cyclicity normalized, hormonal profiles improved (increasing FSH and estradiol, decreasing LH and testosterone levels), and ovarian histology showed active folliculogenesis and reappearance of multiple corpus lutea. In addition, TMP could reduce the body weight and downregulate the ovarian androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) protein expression. Moreover, TMP restored the fertility index and promoted embryo implantation, comparable to control animals. In conclusion, Thai Mucuna pruriens seed extract, particularly at 300 mg/kg, effectively reversed the reproductive, endocrine, and fertility impairments in letrozole-induced PCOS animal model, suggesting its promising potential as a phytotherapeutic agent for managing PCOS-associated reproductive dysfunction.