Feed formulation with Abelmoschus esculentus leaf mitigates monosodium glutamate-induced uterine pathologies in female Wistar rats

Abstract Background Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common food additive, has been documented to induce oxidative stress associated with reproductive pathologies. Abelmoschus esculentus leaf diet (AELD), a feed formulation with reported nutritional and medicinal properties, was explored in this study for its mitigative effect on MSG-induced uterine pathologies. Methods Eighteen (18) female Wistar rats were equally allotted into three groups ( n = 6): Group A (control): 1 mL/kg distilled water, B: 1000 mg/kg/day MSG only by oral gavage, and C: 1000 mg/kg/day MSG + 20% Abelmoschus esculentus feed formulation. Rats were exposed for 60 days, while AELD was introduced from the 31st day of treatment. Body weight change, relative uterus weight, oxidant-antioxidant markers (total protein (TP), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, in addition to histology and immunostaining of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), were analysed. Results MSG increased body weight change, relative uterus weight, TP, MDA, and FSH levels in group B as compared to the control group. Contrarily, MSG decreased CAT and SOD activities, GSH and BCL-2 levels when compared to the control. AELD reversed all these parameters in group C except for the non-significant ( p < 0.05) decrease in relative uterus weight induced by AELD. The AELD attenuated MSG-induced uterine pathologies of hyperplastic epithelium, cellular inflammation, mild to marked vascular congestion with mild haemorrhage, myometrial thickening due to cellular infiltration, fibrosis, and mild to moderate hypertrophy of glands in group C. Conclusion The AELD demonstrated mitigative potentials in MSG-induced uterine anomalies by reducing body weight, oxidative stress, FSH levels, and architectural pathologies while stimulating the BCL-2 reactivity and antioxidant statuses of the rats.