High dose of green tea infusion normalized spiral artery density in rats treated with the depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate

AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of green tea (GT) on the spiral artery density and endometrial thickness in female rats treated with the depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 24 female rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6 each): The control group (no treatment), the DMPA-treated group, treated with DMPA and GT doses of 165 mg/kg of body weight/day, and treated with DMPA and GT doses of 330 mg/kg of body weight/day. Spiral artery density and endometrial thickness were subjected to histopathological analysis. RESULTS Spiral artery density decreased in the DMPA-treated group, despite the insignificant difference (P > 0.05). With regard to the administration of GT at doses of 165 and 330 mg/g of body weight/day, only GT at the high dose was capable of significantly preventing a decrease in spiral artery density (P < 0.05). At this dose, the spiral arteries achieved a density comparable to that of the control group (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, the administration of DMPA and/or DMPA with GT did not cause significant changes in endometrial thickness relative to the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS DMPA induced a decrease in spiral artery density, despite the insignificant differences, and these changes could be normalized by the administration of high doses of GT. Therefore, GT could be a candidate herb to prevent the adverse effects of the contraceptive DMPA.