The Effect of Hesperidin in a Rat Uterine Scar Model: A Biochemical and Histological Study

Abstract

Background: We aimed to evaluate whether hesperidin has a therapeutic role in a uterine scar model created by performing a full-thickness incision on the rat uterus. Materials: Twenty-eight female Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups. A uterine scar model was created in the scar groups, and hesperidin was administered to the hesperidin groups for 30 days. Four rats from each group were sacrificed, left horns were used for histopathological evaluation (H&E, Masson, TGF-Beta, alpha-SMA), and the right horns were used for biochemical assessment (MDA, SOD, GSH). The remaining rats were mated and subjected to a fertility test. Results: In the histopathological evaluation, similar findings were observed in the control and hesperidin groups. Compared with the scar group, the treatment group showed reduced inflammation, decreased collagen deposition, and increased angiogenesis (p < 0.05). Collagen accumulation detected by Masson staining was highest in the scar group, and the highest alpha-SMA immunostaining score was also observed in the scar group. In the biochemical analysis, the treatment group exhibited lower MDA levels and higher SOD and GSH levels compared with the scar group. In the fertility test, the lowest pregnancy rate was found in the scar group, while the other groups showed similar averages. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that hesperidin may prevent uterine scar formation and contribute to the management of postoperative complications. The hesperidin reflected antifibrotic effects and the prevention of collagen accumulation. Additionally, this study is the first in the literature to investigate the in vivo effects of hesperidin on uterine scar formation.