Intravaginal co-delivery of myoinositol and metformin via dual MPPs-loaded gel for PCOS amelioration: an <i>in-vivo</i> study in a rat model

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a highly prevalent, multifaceted endocrinopathy among reproductive women. Current therapies have limited therapeutic success and compliance owing to multiple complications. Here, we developed MPPs-Gel formulation for efficient targeted intravaginal delivery that addresses the complementary mechanism of insulin resistance and other associated disorders. The MPPs size was observed to be 194.1 ± 3.54 nm with the zeta potential of -6.45 mV, depicting the acceptable value providing enhanced penetration across the vaginal delivery. The study investigated the effects of the MPPs-Gel formulation on insulin resistance and reproductive health in a PCOS rat model. The oestrous cycle of rats revealed that the MPPs-Gel efficiently regulated, as validated by the presence of all the phases. Ultrasonographic study, the MPPs-Gel group demonstrated an approximately 50% reduction in ovarian size (4.8 ± 0.78 mm) in comparison to the PC group (9.2 ± 0.84 mm). Results demonstrated significant improvement in insulin sensitivity, with a notable recovery observed in the MPPs-Gel group. The findings revealed a marked reduction in serum androgen concentrations, alongside notable improvements in other endocrine hormones with enhanced regulation of the reproductive cycle and oocyte quality. Thus, our findings validated that MPPs-Gel could be a promising holistic treatment approach for the associated disorders in PCOS.