ANOVULATORY FOLLICLE DEVELOPMENT IN ADULT ALBINO MICE DUE TO PROLONGED EXPOSURES TO GENISTEIN

Genistein is a soy phytoestrogen that mediates its functions by interacting with the endogenous estrogen receptor β. To investigate the effect of 10mg/kg body weight/ day genistein administration up to 90 days on the ovarian folliculogenesis and its correlation with serum gonadotropins and estrogen, adult Mus musculus were either administered with 1:4 DMSO : PBS (vehicle) or with 10mg genistein/kg body weight dissolved in vehicle for 30, 60 and 90 days. Post sacrifice on 31^st, 61^st and 91^st day, blood serum was separated, and the gonadotropins (LH and FSH) and estrogen hormone were estimated by ELISA and Bouin’s fixed ovaries of control and treated mice were used for histology after H&E staining. Comparison of the ovarian sections revealed an increased number of arrested anovulatory follicles along with the treatment groups, i.e., 30 60 and 90 days and chronological decrease in the serum concentrations of LH, FSH as well as estrogens (two way ANOVA, at p<0.05 to p<0.001). Together these results suggested for delayed folliculogenesis, and reduced number of mature oocytes, which could be correlated with less to nil offspring production signifying lesser fertility or sometimes severity may end up in sterilit.