Ameliorative effect of ginseng extract on phthalate and bisphenol A reprotoxicity during pregnancy in rats

Abstract

Phthalates (such as DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA) are widely used chemicals in plastics manufacturing and exert public health concerns as endocrine disrupters. This study was designed to investigate the deleterious effect of DEHP and BPA on endocrine profile of pregnant female rats and the combined treatment with ginseng extract (Panax ginseng). Seventy-two pregnant rats were divided into six groups (control, ginseng, DEHP, BPA, Gin + DEHP, and Gin + BPA), 12 females per each group. The drugs were supplemented from pregnancy day 0 until day 20. Determination of serum sex hormones (testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol) were determined on days 4, 10, and 20 of pregnancy. mRNA transcripts of STAR, HSD17B3, CYP17, AKT1, and PTEN were relatively quantified against ACTB in the ovary and placenta of days 10 and 20 pregnant females by relative quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (RQ-PCR). DEHP and BPA significantly decreased the endocrine profile of testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol of days 10 and 20 of pregnant females. Combined administration of these chemicals along with ginseng extracts has returned the hormones to normal levels when compared with the control group. The ovarian and placental CYP17 and HSD17B3 mRNA transcripts showed variable expression pattern in both tissues and they were significantly affected by DEHP and BPA administration, concomitantly correlating to STAR, AKT1, PTEN, progesterone, and testosterone levels on pregnancy days 10 and 20. The results confirm the reprotoxicity of DEHP and BPA as endocrine disruptors and indicate that ginseng could be used to alleviate the toxic effects of these chemicals.

Bisphenol A co-exposure effects: a key factor in understanding BPA’s complex mechanism and health outcomes

“…Naturally occurring compounds or dietary supplements are known to be beneficial in overcoming the deleterious effects of estrogenic EDCs such as BPA on different endpoints such as oxidative stress biomarkers, sex hormone levels, organ morphology, DNA damage and epigenetic modification. These changes may alter the adult phenotype or impact offspring, and even contribute to organ toxicity and carcinogenesis (Dolinoy et al 2007;Wu HJ et al 2013;Wahby et al 2017;Saadeldin et al 2018). However, there can be deleterious effects with some dietary supplements, including increased aneuploidy, endocrine dysfunction, and wide spread changes in epigenetic modifications and gene expression changes (Branco and Lemos 2014;Ribeiro-Varandas et al 2014;Leung et al 2017;Sèdes et al 2018).…”

“…Co-exposure of ginseng with BPA was also reported to ameliorate reproductive toxicity induced by BPA in pregnant rats (Saadeldin et al 2018). Ginseng reversed decreased serum progesterone, estrogen and testosterone levels induced by BPA exposure in rats.…”

“…Moreover, ginseng co-treatment reduced placental STAR and HSD expression and decreased ovarian STAR expression. However, coexposure of BPA with ginseng elevated HSD expression in ovary, reversing the reduced serum estradiol and testosterone levels induced by BPA (Saadeldin et al 2018).…”

Supplementation of Plants with Immunomodulatory Properties during Pregnancy and Lactation—Maternal and Offspring Health Effects

“…Administration of ginseng extract during pregnancy exposed to prenatal stress reduces the incidence of schizophrenia in the offspring [47]. According to the studies of Saadeldin et al (2018), administration of an aqueous ginseng extract to pregnant females during exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A alleviates the toxic effects of these compounds in offspring [48]. Wanderly et al (2013) studied if giving pregnant rats a ginseng extract could reverse the increase in testosterone production induced by dexamethasone.…”

Role of Antioxidants in Alleviating Bisphenol A Toxicity

“…Its major components are ginsenosides, useful for the treatment of ageing, immune disorders, cancer, and other conditions [ 136 , 171 , 172 ]. While in pregnant BPA-treated rats, the testosterone and progesterone levels are elevated, ginseng administration significantly decreases these levels at the end of pregnancy [ 70 ]. Further, Yang et al [ 173 ] suggested positive chemo-preventive effects of ginseng in women expressing gynaecological complaints induced by BPA [ 173 ].…”