Anti-endometriotic Effects of the Mixture of Erigeron floribundus (Asteraceae) and Tragia benthamii (Euphorbiaceae) Extracts in Peritoneal Endometriosis in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Endometriosis is a frequent pathology in gynecology. This study was aimed at investigating the curative effects of the mixture of Erigeron floribundus and Tragia benthamii aqueous extracts on experimental endometriosis in rat. Twenty endometriosic rats were randomly distributed into four groups of five animals each and orally treated during four weeks with either distilled water (10 ml/kg), raloxifene hydrochloride (10 mg/kg) or aqueous extract of plant mixture (130 or 260 mg/kg). Vaginal smear was daily checked throughout the experiments and, blood and sexual organs were collected after sacrifice. Body and sexual organ weights, sexual hormones, prostaglandin E2, oxidative stress markers and uterine histology were measured. Results showed a disrupted estrus cycle, an increase in MDA concentration, implant weight and implantation surface in the untreated endometriosic rats. On the contrary, in the plant extracts-treated endometriosic animals and raloxifene, the estrus stage frequency was increased while the endometriosis lesions were significantly (p<0.001) regressed. Plant extracts also decreased the level of estradiol, progesterone, MDA and catalase, and increased the activities of SOD and peroxidase compared to the untreated rats. Prostaglandin E2 concentration and the uterine architecture remained statistically unchanged after treatments. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of the mixture of E. floribundus and T. benthamii alleviates the endometriosic alterations in rats