Evaluation of the Protective Effects of Arbutin Via Hormonal, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antioxidant Pathways in Experimental Sepsis Induced Ovarian Damage

The present study evaluated the dose-dependent protective effects of arbutin against sepsis-induced ovarian damage and to compare its prophylactic and post-sepsis adjuvant administration in rats. Forty-nine female Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to seven groups (n=7): Control, Sham, pre-sepsis arbutin 50 mg/kg (Pre50), pre-sepsis arbutin 100 mg/kg (Pre100), Sepsis (SPS), post-sepsis arbutin 50 mg/kg (Post50), and post-sepsis arbutin 100 mg/kg (Post100). Sepsis was induced via cecal puncture. All sepsis groups received intramuscular amikacin (20 mg/kg/day) for five consecutive days. Arbutin was administered orally for seven days prior to sepsis (prophylactic protocol) or concurrently with antibiotics (post-sepsis protocol). Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol (E2) levels were measured, and ovarian tissue concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) were determined. Sepsis significantly decreased serum AMH, E2, and ovarian GSH levels, while markedly increasing TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA concentrations. In arbutin-treated groups, both prophylactic and post-sepsis administration increased GSH and reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA levels compared with the sepsis group. Although hormonal parameters improved partially, AMH and E2 did not return to control values within the experimental period. Protective effects were similar across both doses 50 and 100 mg/kg, suggesting a dose-independent response. In conclusion, arbutin alleviated sepsis-induced inflammatory and oxidative ovarian damage through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms; however, complete endocrine recovery was not achieved.