Estrogenic activity of hydro-alcoholic extract of Artocarpus lakoocha fruit on female Sprague-Dawley rats

Aim: Hormone replacement therapy was considered a safe treatment for short-term therapy. But, because of adverse outcomes such as increased risk of endometrial and breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary thrombo-embolism after its long-term use, women turned to use natural health remedies. Thus, the estrogenic activity of 70% hydro-alcoholic extract of Artocarpus lakoocha fruit (HEAL) was evaluated. Materials and Methods: HEAL was subjected to phytochemical analysis as per standard protocol. Estrogenic potential of HEAL was performed by uterotropic assay, vaginal cytology and measurement of vaginal opening at different doses of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg bw po in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and compared with standard drug β-estradiol (2 mg/kg bw, po). Ovariectomized immature and mature female SD rats were administered with HEAL for 7 days. Results: It showed the presence of tannins, saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids, steroids and alkaloids as major secondary metabolites in HEAL. Dose of 600 mg/kg administered in ovariectomized immature and mature female SD rats resulted in significant increase in the uterine wet weight of 219.60±8.71 mg and 906.19±26.91 mg respectively when compared with that of control rats of 110.55±1.16 mg and 505.66±27.38 mg respectively. Only cornified epithelial cells were seen in HEAL-treated rats at the dose of 600 mg/kg indicating the presence of estrogen. Significant vaginal opening was also seen in HEAL-treated rats at the dose of 600 mg/kg. Conclusion: It was concluded that HEAL possess promising estrogenic activity.