Hepatoprotective Effects of Two Vitamin D3 Formulations on Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Female Rats: An Experimental Study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder that disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, leading to ovarian dysfunction and hyperandrogenism. This experimental study aimed to compare the hepatoprotective effects of micellized vitamin D3 (MVD3) and conventional vitamin D3 (CVD3) compared to metformin (MET) in a rat model of letrozole (LTZ)-induced PCOS. Methods: An experimental study was conducted over 90 days using 30 healthy female albino rats with regular estrous cycles. Rats were randomly assigned to five groups (six per group): control, LTZ-induced PCOS, LTZ + MET (155 mg/kg), LTZ + CVD3 (1000 IU/kg), and LTZ + MVD3 (1000 IU/kg). PCOS was induced using oral LTZ (200 µg/day), and treatments were administered daily by gavage. Estrous cycle was assessed by vaginal cytology. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were measured to evaluate hepatic function, and liver tissues were examined histopathologically after hematoxylin and eosin staining. The mean levels of liver enzymes were compared using the independent samples t-test, with significance set at P