Exploring the Potential Impact of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) on PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways in Rat Ovarian Tissue

Abstract This study examined the effects of adding buckwheat to rat diets on the antioxidant status of ovarian tissue, histopathological parameters, gene expression levels, and serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) concentrations. Four groups of female Sprague Dawley rats were used. Groups1, 2, and 3 were fed diets containing 12%, 24%, and 36% buckwheat, respectively, while the control group was given a basal diet. From roughly 50 to 106 days of age, the animals were fed the experimental diets. Six animals from each group were sacrificed at the conclusion of the study, and samples of serum and ovarian tissue were taken. The control group had the most corpora lutea, while the buckwheat-fed groups had significantly fewer ( p < 0.001). Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K), Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), Protein KinaseB (AKT), Caspase-3, B-cell Lymphoma2 (Bcl-2), and NFκB-p65 (Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) signaling pathways in ovarian tissue were significantly impacted by buckwheat supplementation ( p < 0.01). Catalase (CAT) level varied significantly ( p < 0.01), while Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione (GSH), and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were similar across groups ( p > 0.05) among antioxidant parameters. According to serum hormone analyses, Group 3 had the lowest FSH level, while Groups2 and 3 had the lowest LH levels ( p < 0.01). In summary, buckwheat supplementation had a negative impact on several signaling pathways in ovarian tissue, as well as on serum FSH and LH concentrations, cystic follicle counts, and corpus luteum counts. Additionally, as the amount of buckwheat in the diet increased, so did the severity of these negative effects.