Effects of Turnip Leaf Hydro-Alcoholic Extract (Brassica rapa) on Oestrous Cycle, Ovarian Histology and Serum Concentrations of Estrogen, Progesterone and Gonadotropins in Female Rats

Inroduction & Brassica rapa (turnip) has been cultivated and consumed worldwide for many centuries. The present article aimed to investigate the effects of turnip leaf consumption on estrogen, progesterone, FSH, LH hormones and ovarian follicles in adult female rats.
Material and A total number of 45 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups including control groups, sham group and groups receiving doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg turnip leaf hydro-alcoholic extract orally. Blood samples were taken at the end of the 14th day and serum concentration of LH, FSH, estrogen, and progesterone were measured. Also the number of follicles and corpora-lutea were obtained by separating ovaries.
The results illustrated that serum LH significantly decreased in groups receiving Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of turnip leaf compared to the control group.The results also indicated that estrogens serum level significantly decreased in 100 and 200 mg/kg group. Progesterone was also decreased in group receiving 50 mg/kg turnip leaf hydro-alcoholic extract. But the serum level ESH did not show any significant difference in experimental groups compared to the control group.Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of turnip leaf also caused a significant increase in primary follicles.
The results of the present study demonstrate that turnip leaf hydro-alcoholic extract decreases LH, progesterone, estrogens and primary follicles without any significant effect on FSH.