Amelioration of ethanol intoxicated ovarian dysfunction by Alocasia indica tuber: possible involvement of nuclear factor kappa B

The protective efficacy of ethanolic extract of Alocasia indica tuber was studied on ethanol-intoxicated ovaries of rats, searching for the possible involvement of expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF‑κB) and caspase‑3. The extract was prepared by 80% ethanol using Soxhlet. Female albino rats were intraperitoneally injected by ethanol (3 g kg‑1 body weight per day) with and without extract (200 and 400 mg kg‑1 body weight per day) for a period of 14 days. Oxidative stress parameters and the gonadal hormone profile were determined, and apoptosis assay and immuno-staining of NF‑κB and caspase‑3 were conducted. Oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme levels were regained by 41 to 90% and 36 to 96%, respectively, by extract at a higher dose in ethanol intoxicated rat. Decreased levels (18 to 28%) of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen and progesterone level due to ethanol intoxication were restored (19 to 98%) by extract at same dose, whereas elevated level of prolactin and corticosterone level were restored by 51 to 81%. The extract reduced number of apoptotic dead cells in the ovary with altered expression of NF‑κB and caspase‑3, indicated by lower number of positively stained cells in extract-treated rats. It appears that ethanolic extract of A. indica can suppress ethanol-induced ovarian apoptotic cell death and other reproductive changes.