Effects of boric acid on reproductive hormones and utero-ovarian tissues in female rats: A dose-response study

Boric acid is a widely used form of boron, and its potential as a therapeutic agent is being increasingly investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the dose-dependent effects of oral boric acid administration on reproductive hormone levels and the histopathological architecture of ovarian and uterine tissues in female rats. Twenty-four young adult female rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, low-dose boric acid (10 mg/kg), medium-dose boric acid (100 mg/kg), and high-dose boric acid (1000 mg/kg). Boric acid or saline was administered orally once daily for 21 days. Serum estradiol and progesterone levels were measured and ovarian and uterine tissues were examined histopathologically. Low and medium doses of boric acid did not significantly alter estradiol or progesterone levels compared to controls (p>0.05). However, high-dose boric acid administration significantly decreased estradiol levels while increasing progesterone levels (p