title: Structural and histomorphometric evaluations of ferutinin effects on the uterus of ovariectomized rats during osteoporosis treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of chronic administration of Ferutinin (phytoestrogen found in the plants of genus Ferula), compared with those elicited by estradiol benzoate, were evaluated, following ovariectomy, on the uterus of ovariectomized rats as regard weight, size, structure and histomorphometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental study included 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats, assigned to two different protocols, i.e. preventive and recovering. In the preventive protocol, ferutinin (2mg/kg/day) was orally administered for 30days, starting from the day after ovariectomy; in the recovering protocol, ferutinin was administered, at the same dosage, for 30days starting from the 60th day after ovariectomy, when osteoporosis was clearly established. Its effects were compared with those of estradiol benzoate (1.5μg per rat twice a week, subcutaneously injected) vs. vehicle-treated ovariectomized controls and vehicle-treated sham-operated controls. Uteri were removed, weighed and analysed under both the structural and histomorphometrical points of view.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data show that ferutinin acts, similarly to estradiol benzoate, on the uterus stimulating endometrial and myometrial hypertrophy; this notwithstanding, the phytoestrogen ferutinin, in contrast to estrogen treatment, appears to increase apoptosis in uterine luminal and glandular epithelia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ferutinin, used in osteoporosis treatment primarily for bone mass recovering, seems in line with an eventual protective function against uterine carcinoma, unlike estrogens so far employed in hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Morphology of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavani
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benincasa
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zavatti
authors.forename: Vittoria Di
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Viesti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanoli
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palumbo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003508:Cycloheptanes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D003508:Cycloheptanes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C111068:4-oxy-6-(4-oxybezoyloxy)dauc-8,9-en