title: Efficacies of vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on experimental endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 (vitamin D) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) on experimentally induced endometriosis in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled experimental study was performed on 30 Wistar female rats. Endometriosis was surgically induced by implanting endometrial tissue on the abdominal peritoneum. Four weeks later, a second laparotomy was performed to assess pre-treatment implant volumes and cytokine levels. The rats were randomized into three groups: vitamin D group (42 μg/kg/day), omega-3 PUFA group (450 mg/kg/day), and control group (saline 0.1 mL/rat/day). These treatments were administered for 4 weeks. At the end of treatment, a third laparotomy was performed for the assessment of cytokine levels, implant volumes (post-treatment) and implants were totally excised for histopathologic examination. Pre- and post-treatment volumes, cytokine levels within the groups, as well as stromal and glandular tissues between the groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean post-treatment volume was statistically significantly reduced in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.02) and the level of the interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the peritoneal fluid were significantly decreased at the end of treatment in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.02, p=0.03, and p=0.03, respectively). In the vitamin D group, only IL-6 levels were significantly decreased. In the histopathologic examination, the glandular tissue and stromal tissue scores of the implants were significant lower in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.03 and p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omega-3 PUFA caused significant regression of endometriotic implants. Vitamin D has not been as effective as omega-3 PUFA on endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey. Electronic address: alpakyol@firat.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Memet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Şimşek
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Raşit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: İlhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Behzat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Can
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baspinar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Elazig Education and Research Hospital, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hadice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: H Fatih
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferit
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gürsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burçin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kavak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akın
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: endometriosis; omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid; rat; vitamin D