The effect of citicoline administration on ovarian and endometrial development in pre-adolescent rats

The effect of citicoline administration on ovarian and endometrial development in pre-adolescent rats AIM: Puberty is a process involving physical and hormonal changes during the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this period, the increase in gonadal hormones affects growth rate and reproductive capacity. Genetic, environmental, and endocrine disrupting factors play a role in the timing of puberty. Citicoline, which is involved in cell membrane repair and supports cognitive functions, has become widely used as a supplement in recent years. However, its effects on adolescence are not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the potential contributions of citicoline to the puberty process and its role in the mechanisms of early puberty by examining its effects on ovarian and endometrial development in female rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study utilized 32 female Sprague-Dawley rats that had not yet reached puberty, weighing approximately 80 ± 20 g and aged 25 days. The rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 8 rats each by an independent administrator. The groups to receive citicoline were administered citicoline intraperitoneally at doses of 100 mg/kg/dose, 200 mg/kg/dose, and 400 mg/kg/dose, respectively, for 10 days. The control group received physiological saline intraperitoneally for the same period. At the end of 10 days, the rats were sacrificed. The ovaries and endometrial tissues were examined. RESULTS: Our study demonstrates that siticoline exhibits a pronounced modulatory effect with a dose-response relationship on ovarian follicular development and endometrial thickness; while moderate-dose administration supports early follicular development, high-dose administration leads to more pronounced changes in late follicular stages and luteal structures. CONCLUSION: Citicoline has been shown to potentially influence ovarian and endometrial morphology, and may induce significant changes particularly in follicular development and the structure of the endometrium. Keywords: Citicoline, endocrine disruptor, endometrium, ovary, puberty