Natural compounds valuated as new therapeutic agents for the treatment of endometriosis.

FERELLA L; BASTON JI; BILOTAS M; SINGLA JJ; GONZALEZ A; OLIVARES C; MERESMAN G

Chascomús

Congreso; XVI Jornadas anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología,; 2014

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Current medical therapies available for the treatment of endometriosis have adverse effects that limit their long-term use. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of Wogonin (WG), an active constituent of Chinese Herbal Medicine, and two of the main antioxidant compounds found in rosemary extract: Carnosic Acid (CA) and Rosmarinic Acid (RA) in vitro and in vivo, in experimental endometriosis. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTS assay in endometrial cell cultures. In addition, endometriosis-induced mice received daily WG intragastrically from post-surgical day (psd) 14 and continued until day 26. CA or RA was administered intraperitoneally daily from psd 14 to 28. WG 40, 80 and 160 µM; CA 10, 12.5 and 25 µg/ml and RA 25, 50 and 100 µg/ml significantly inhibited cell proliferation in T-HESC cell line and in human endometrial stromal primary cultures (p<0.05 vs. basal). In vivo, WG 20 mg/kg, CA 20 mg/kg and RA 3 mg/kg produced a significant reduction in the lesions size (p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.05 for WG, CA and RA respectively). In conclusion, all natural compounds evaluated exerted an inhibitory effect on endometrial growth or endometriosis development. The present findings are promising and support further investigation of these compounds as new therapeutics for endometriosis.