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The Role of Ankaferd Blood Stopper and Oxytocin as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Endometriosis: A Rat Model

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Summary

To evaluate the potential effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) and oxytocin (OT) in an experimental endometriosis model, 18 female Sprague Dawley rats were used in this study. The animals were divided randomly into three groups after surgical induction of endometriosis: group 1: control group (isotonic NaCl, 1 mL/kg/day, intramuscular, n=6); group 2: OT group (OT, 80 U/kg/day, intramuscular, n=6); group 3: ABS group (ABS, 1.5 mL/kg/day, intraperitoneal, n=6). Each group was treated for four weeks (two times per week). Volumes of endometriotic explants were measured in biopsy samples for histopathological analysis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels were measured in plasma and peritoneal fluid. Endometriotic explant volumes were significantly decreased after OT administration (P<0.0001). The epithelial score was significantly decreased in both treatment groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). TUNEL immunohistochemistry showed more apoptotic changes in the endometriosis foci (gland epithelium and surrounding tissue) in the OT group than in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of VEGF, MCP-1, and TNF-α were significantly reduced in the OT group (P<0.05), whereas no significant changes in protein levels were found in the ABS-applied group. The results indicate that OT has greater potential as a therapeutic agent in experimentally induced peritoneal endometriosis, where ABS, which is a VEGF modulator, appears to act through different mechanisms to show its palliative effects on a rat model of peritoneal endometriosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, 35100, Turkey

    Ismet Hortu, Gokay Ozceltik & Murat Ulukus

  2. Department of Stem Cell, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, Izmir, 35100, Turkey

    Ismet Hortu

  3. Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, 35100, Turkey

    Elif Karadadas

  4. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, 34394, Turkey

    Oytun Erbas

  5. Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Mugla, 48000, Turkey

    Gurkan Yigitturk

Authors
  1. Ismet Hortu
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  2. Gokay Ozceltik
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  3. Elif Karadadas
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  4. Oytun Erbas
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  5. Gurkan Yigitturk
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  6. Murat Ulukus
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Correspondence to Ismet Hortu.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

This study was supported by Ege University School of Medicine-Research Funds, Izmir, Turkey (No. 2011-TIP-090).

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Hortu, I., Ozceltik, G., Karadadas, E. et al. The Role of Ankaferd Blood Stopper and Oxytocin as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Endometriosis: A Rat Model. CURR MED SCI 40, 556–562 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-020-2213-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-020-2213-1

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