RESUMEN
AIMS: The effective treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related hormonal disorders necessitates the development of novel treatment strategies. Resveratrol is found in certain food products, and is known to exhibit phytoestrogen properties. The present study was to assess whether resveratrol exhibits beneficial phytoestrogenic effects and associated hormonal modulation in a rat model of PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This model was established by administering oral letrozole to female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats prior to randomizing them into control, model and resveratrol treatment groups (40, 80, or 160 mg/kg). Animals were treated for 30 days, after which time ovarian tissues were collected and evaluated via hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, serum levels of estradiol and adiponectin were assessed via ELISA, and ovarian expression of nesfatin-1 and aromatase was assessed through RT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: We found that resveratrol administration was associated with increased levels of plasma adiponectin and estradiol levels and restoration of normal ovarian morphology in PCOS model animals. In addition, this treatment was linked to the increased ovarian expression of nesfatin-1 and aromatase at the RNA and protein levels. CONCLUSIONS: Together things findings suggest that resveratrol may represent an effective tool for treating PCOS owing to its phytoestrogenic properties.