Therapeutic efficiency of Atosiban, an oxytocin receptor blocking agent in the treatment of experimental endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
The current study investigated the potential therapeutic efficiency of atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, in an experimental endometriosis model.


METHODS
Endometriosis was surgically induced in 35 female rats during estrus. Four weeks after this procedure, relaparotomy was performed. The viability and dimensions of the endometriosis foci were recorded. Rats were then randomly divided into three groups. In the first group (n = 8), a daily dose of 0.2 ml 0.9 % NaCl was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) (control cases). In the second and third groups (n = 8 and n = 8), 0.5 mg/kg/day i.p. atosiban and 1 mg/day i.p. diltiazem were given, respectively. At the end of the treatment, laparotomy was performed, and the dimensions of the endometriosis foci were recorded. The endometrial implants were processed for histological and immunohistochemical studies. The volumes of endometriotic implants were measured, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed, and compared between the groups.


RESULTS
After the treatment with atosiban, volumes of endometriotic implants decreased significantly. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression levels were significantly reduced in the atosiban and diltiazem groups compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
In a rat endometriosis model, atosiban, an agent used for the first time for the medical treatment of endometriosis, has shown significant therapeutic efficiency.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. dryavuzsimsek@gmail.com
Yavuz
Y
Simsek
Onder
O
Celik
Abdullah
A
Karaer
Mehmet
M
Gul
Ercan
E
Yılmaz
Onder
O
Koc
Cemil
C
Colak
Sehnaz
S
Zengin
Nasuhi Engin
NE
Aydin
D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004110:Diltiazem; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014668:Vasotocin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; C047046:atosiban; D004110:Diltiazem; D014668:Vasotocin