Protective effect of boric acid on endotoxemia-induced ovarian damage

Sepsis is a serious reaction of the whole body to an infection that develops in the presence of bacteria or toxins in the body. The body can give this inflammatory response by the immune system in response to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin or other tissue. Despite supportive therapies, antibiotics, immunotherapy agents and new treatment alternatives, sepsis has a high mortality rate of around 90% and is the most common cause of death in intensive care units. Therefore, sepsis is one of the most researched diseases in humans and is also known as one of the most studied models in experimental animals. Endotoxaemia refers to the presence of endotoxin bacteria in the blood. These bacteria accumulating in the blood cause endotoxin sepsis. Boric acid is the most common mineral acid among boron compounds and is easily soluble in water. Boric acid has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is frequently used in medical products and medical treatment methods. In line with this information, in our study, the protective effect of boric acid obtained from boron, which is a natural mineral and used in many fields, was examined in sepsis with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin. In our study, 32 Wistor Albino female rats were used and divided into 4 groups. Rats in boric acid and boric acid + LPS groups were injected intraperitoneally with 20 mg/kg boric acid at the same time in the morning for 14 days. On the 14th day, 7.5 mg/kg LPS was injected intraperitoneally into the rats in the boric acid+LPS and LPS groups in the evening and sepsis was induced. After sepsis formation was observed, anaesthesia was induced by administering xylazine 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally and ketamine hydrochloride 60 mg/kg at appropriate doses. The ovarian tissues were surgically removed from the anaesthetised rats and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The tissue samples were prepared for light microscopic examination in accordance with tissue preparation methods. In addition, ovarian tissues taken from each group were wrapped in aluminium foil and stored for biochemical investigations. The protective effect of boric acid on ovarian histopathology and ovarian functions as a result of endotoxaemia was investigated. As a result of the examinations, follicle counts were evaluated in the groups. No statistically significant change was observed in primary follicle level. The decrease in the number of primordial follicles in the LPS group was significant. When the LPS group was compared with the other groups, it was observed that there was a decrease in the number of secondary follicles and an increase in the number of atretic follicles compared to the control, boric acid and boric acid+LPS groups. In the BA+LPS group, it was observed that the amount of secondary and graaf follicles were similar to the control and BA groups, and the amount of atretic follicles increased significantly compared to the LPS group. Degeneration was observed in all follicles and connective tissue areas in the LPS group. In conclusion, it was determined that fibrosis occurred in the cortex vessels, follicle loss occurred, and ovarian tissue scarring caused toxicity on primordial follicles in the ovary of rats given LPS. In this study, we concluded that Boric acid has a protective effect on LPS-induced endotoxaemia induced ovarian damage in rats. August 2024, 71 Pages Key words: Boric Acid, Ovary, Sepsis, Infection, Endotoxaemia.