The present study examined the effect of medicinal plants - ginkgo, tribulus (puncture vine), and yucca - on ovarian functions and their response to the toxic influence of toluene. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of toluene with and without these plant extracts on cultured human ovarian granulosa cells. Cell viability and the release of progesterone, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I), oxytocin, and prostaglandin F (PGF) were analyzed using the trypan blue test, enzyme immunoassay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The ginkgo, tribulus and yucca were able to suppress ovarian cell viability and alter the release of hormones. Toluene suppressed cell viability and the release of PGF, but not of progesterone, IGF-I, or oxytocin. The negative effect of toluene on cell viability was prevented and even reversed by ginkgo and yucca, whereas its effect on PGF was prevented or inverted by all tested plant extracts. These findings (1) demonstrated the direct toxic effect of toluene on ovarian cells, (2) showed the direct effect of some medicinal plants on ovarian cell functions, and (3) demonstrated the ability of these plants to inhibit the effects of toluene and to act as natural protectors against the suppressive effect of toluene on female reproduction.

Constantine The Philosopher University in Nitra Nitra Slovakia

See more in PubMed

Štochmal’ová A, Kádasi A, Alexa R, Bauer M, Harrath AH, Sirotkin AV. Direct effect of pholyphenol-rich plants, rooibos and ginkgo, on porcine ovarian cell functions. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2018;102:e550–e557. doi: 10.1111/jpn.12795. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV. Potential effects of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, L.) on female reproduction. Reprod Biol. 2014;21:100568. doi: 10.1016/j.repbio.2021.100568. doi: 10.1016/j.repbio.2021.100568. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV, Alexa R, Harrath AH. Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris L.) affects the proliferation, apoptosis, and ghrelin response of ovarian cells. Reprod Biol. 2020;20:33–36. doi: 10.1016/j.repbio.2019.12.009. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV, Kolesárová A. Puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris L.) in control of health and reproduction. Physiol Res. 2021;70(Supp l4):S657–S667. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934711. PubMed DOI PMC

Štochmal’ová A, Földešiová M, Balaži A, Kádasi A, Grossmann R, Alexa R, Chrenek P, Sirotkin AV. Yucca schidigera extract can promote rabbit fecundity and ovarian progesterone release. Theriogenology. 2015;84:634–638. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.04.024. PubMed DOI

Földešiová M, Balaži A, Chrastinová L’, Pivko J, Kotwica J, Harrath Ah, Chrenek P, Sirotkin AV. Yucca schidigera can promote rabbit growth, fecundity, affect the release of hormones in vivo and in vitro, induce pathological changes in liver, and reduce ovarian resistance to benzene. Anim Reprod Sci. 2017;183:66–76. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.06.001. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV, Fabian D, Babel’ová-Kubandová J, Vlčková R, Alwasel S, Harrath AH. Metabolic state can define the ovarian response to environmental contaminants and medicinal plants. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2017;42:1264–1269. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0262. PubMed DOI

Vlčková R, Sopková D, Andrejčáková Z, Valockź I, Kádasi A, Harrath AH, Petrilla V, Sirotkin AV. Dietary supplementation of yucca (Yucca schidigera) affects ovine ovarian functions. Theriogenology. 2017;88:158–165. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.09.026. PubMed DOI

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Public Health Statement for Toluene. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Atlanta, USA: 2015. p. 9pp.

Pelletti G, Rossi F, Garagnani M, Barone R, Roffi R, Pelotti S. Medico-legal implications of toluene abuse and toxicity. Review of cases along with blood concentrations. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2018;34:48–57. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.08.008. PubMed DOI

Kumar S, Sharma A, Kshetrimayum C. Environmental & occupational exposure & female reproductive dysfunction. Indian J Med Res. 2019;150:532–545. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_1652_17. PubMed DOI PMC

Sirotkin Av, Harrath Ah. Influence of oil-related environmental pollutants on female reproduction. Reprod Toxicol. 2017;71:142–145. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.05.007. PubMed DOI

Alrezaki A, Aldawood N, Mansour L, Ahmed M, Sirotkin Av, Alwasel S, Harrath AH. Toluene can disrupt rat ovarian follicullogenesis and steroidogenesis and induce both autophagy and apoptosis. Biology (Basel) 2021;10:1153. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10111153, https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10111153. PubMed DOI PMC

Sirotkin AV, Makarevich Av, Kubovicova E, Medvedova M, Kolesarova A, Harrath AH. Relationship between body conditions and environmental contaminants in bovine ovarian cells. Theriogenology. 2020;147:77–84. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.022. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV, Kadasi A, Baláži A, Kotwica J, Alreyaki A, Harrath AH. Mechanisms of the direct effects of oil-related contaminants on ovarian cells. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020;27:5314–5322. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-07295-0. PubMed DOI

Tarko A, Fabová Z, Kotwica J, Valocký I, Alrezaki A, Alwasel S, Harrath AH, Sirotkin AV. The inhibitory influence of toluene on mare ovarian granulosa cells can be prevented by fennel. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2020;295:113491. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113491. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV. Regulators of Ovarian Functions. second ed. Nova Science Publishers, Inc; New York: 2014. p. 194pp.

Sirotkin AV, Benco A, Mlyncek M, Kotwica J, Alwasel S, Harrath AH. Transcription factor p53 regulates healthy human ovarian cells function. C R Biol. 2019;342:186–191. doi: 10.1016/j.crvi.2019.08.002. PubMed DOI

Mrowiec B. Toluene in sewage and sludge in wastewater treatment plants. Water Sci Technol. 2014;69:128–134. doi: 10.2166/wst.2013.563. PubMed DOI

Strober W. Trypan blue exclusion test of cell viability. Curr Protoc Immunol. Appendix. 2001;3B doi: 10.1002/0471142735.ima03bs21. PubMed DOI

Prakash Bs, Meyer Hd, Schallenberger E, Van De Wiel DF. Develpoment of sensitive enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) for progesterone determination in unextracted bovine plasma using the second antibody technique. J Steroid Biochem. 1987;28:623–627. doi: 10.1016/0022-4731(87)90389-X. PubMed DOI

Kotwica J, Skarzynski DJ, Jaraszewski JJ, Bogacki M. Noradrenaline affects secretory function of corpus luteum independently on prostaglandins in conscious cattle. Prostaglandins. 1994;48:1–10. doi: 10.1016/0090-6980(94)90091-4. PubMed DOI

Jiménez GG, Durán AG, Macias FA, Simonet AM. Structure, bioactivity and analytical methods for the determination of Yucca saponins. Molecules. 2021;26:5251. doi: 10.3390/molecules26175251. PubMed DOI PMC

Garbe TR, Yukawa H. Common solvent toxicity: autoxidation of respiratory redox-cyclers enforced by membrane derangement. Z Naturforsch C J Biosci. 2001;56:483–491. doi: 10.1515/znc-2001-7-801. PubMed DOI

Sirotkin AV, Kolesarova A. Environmental Contaminants and Medicinal Plants Action on Female Reproduction. 1st edition. Academic Press, Elsevier Science Publishing Co. Inc; London-San Diego-Cambridge-Oxford: 2022. p. 436.