Table 2 A table showing the animal preclinical trials conducted to evaluate the potency of herbal medicine in endometriosis
Sr. No | Study objectives | Study design | Arms of the study | Study findings | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A study in order to find the association between the Ginsenoside Rg3 effect on endometrial growth and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway modulated by VEGFR-2 | The rats were allocated on the basis of randomization into 5 groups which were treated with ginsenoside Rg3 and sacrificed 21Â days post drug treatment. Measurement of the endometrial volume was carried out and the inhibitory rate was calculated. Serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels were analyzed by Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLI). Using immunohistochemical techniques, the protein expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2 was evaluated within the endometrium | Intervention 1: Ginsenoside Rg3 (5Â mg/kgBW/d) Intervention 2: Ginsenoside Rg3 (10Â mg/kgBW/d) Intervention 3: Gestrinone group (0.5Â mg/kgBW/d) Intervention 4: Control group (10Â mL/kg BW/d of 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium) CMC-Na Intervention 5: Ovariectomized group (10Â mL/kgBW/d of 0.5%CMC-Na) | It was observed that a dose-dependent suppression of endometrium size in rats in comparison to control group occurred. A down-regulation of the expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2 was also noticed in Ginsenoside Rg3 group | Cao et al. [67] |
2 | A study to evaluate the effect of EGCG in mice-model of endometriosis | The potential for EGCG as an anti-angiogenesis agent was investigated in mice suffering from endometriosis. Transplantation of endometrium was done in mice and they were divided into 3 groups to receive treatment for 4Â weeks. Endometrial growth was measured through non-invasive in vivo imaging (IVIS). Post-treatment, the bioavailability, anti-oxidative and anti-angiogenesis effects were measured | Intervention 1: Dulbecco phosphate buffered saline Intervention 2: Vitamin E (20Â mg/kg) Intervention 3: EGCG (50Â mg/kg) | A significant reduction in the endometrial lesion size was observed in the group treated with EGCG from 2nd to 4th week of drug treatment. However, they failed to show effect on Ovarian follicles and uterine endometrial glands | Xu et al. [89] |
3 | A study to investigate the potency of puerarin in endometriosis (EMT) model rats and to find the probable mechanisms of action | The animals were allocated into 5 groups and endometriosis was induced surgically by auto-transplantation of endometrial tissues. Serum estradiol (E2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were analyzed and the dose of administration was calculated. Genes and proteins of the endometrial tissues were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on the results, appropriate inferences were made | Puerarin and Raloxifene (RLX) both mixed with CMC prorata after which the animals were allocated into five groups were respectively administered drug treatment for 4 weeks Intervention 1: low-dose group (0.1% CMC and 5 mg/kg puerarin) Intervention 2: 0.1% CMC and 20 mg/kg puerarin) Intervention 3: 0.1% CMC and 80 mg/kg puerarin) Intervention 4: positive control group (Raloxifene hydrochloride) RLX 10 mg/kg Intervention 5: Control group (CMC) | It was observed that Puerarin reduced the concentrations of E2 and PGE2 and also hindered the maturation of endometrium tissues by inhibiting the expression of aromatase cytochrome P450 (p450arom) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Also, it modulated the metabolism of E2 by controlling the expression of the 17β-hydroxysteroid-2 (17β-hsd-2) enzyme of the endometrial tissues | Surrey et al. [58] |
4 | A clinical study to assess the effect of β-caryophyllene on endometriosis along with fertility status in adult female rats along with their roles in reproduction | Fragments of endometrium were implanted in the peritoneal cavity of the animals to induce endometriosis within them. Their growth was measured from baseline and after 4 weeks. Allocation was carried out of the animals into 2 groups and they were given drug therapy for a duration of 21 days | Intervention: β-caryophyllene (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) Control: Vehicle | It was observed that β-Caryophyllene was able to hinder the maturation of endometriotic tissues 52.5% in rats compared with controls whereas β-caryophyllene led to apoptosis in the epithelium of the endometrial lesions | Abbas et al. [90] |