Possible Impact of Cod Liver Oil on Ovariectomy-Induced Skeletal Muscle Damage in Adult Female Albino Rats: A Histological, Histochemical, and Immunohistochemical Study

Introduction: After menopause, women live more than one-third of their lifetimes, which is characterized by a low estrogen level associated with multiple diseases. Medical specialists are interested in the health advantages of cod liver oil (CLO), that contains omega-3 fatty acids, according to encouraging studies.
Aim of the Work: The study's goal was to investigate the impact of ovariectomy (an experimental model of menopause) on skeletal muscle structure and to investigate the efficacy of CLO in restoring the muscular deficit caused by hormone deprivation) ovariectomy).
Material and Methods: Twenty-four adult female albino rats were included in the study. They were separated into equal four groups: sham, CLO, ovariectomized (OVX), and CLO-OVX groups. The gastrocnemius muscle underwent histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical examinations.
Results: The findings revealed a variety of morphological changes in the OVX group in both skeletal muscle and nerve fibers. The Glee’s stain revealed myoneural junctions’ degeneration. Succinate dehydrogenase stain was reduced in type II skeletal muscle fibers. Acetylcholine esterase activity was significantly decreased. It was detected a significant decrease in anti-desmin activity in addition to a significant increase in anti-CD 86 activity in this group if compared to the sham and CLO groups. Interestingly, all the previously listed changes were improved in the CLO-OVX group.
Conclusion: It could be concluded that a significant adverse impact of ovarian hormones deficiency on skeletal muscle structure. Additionally, CLO supplementation has a favorable effect on skeletal muscle in rat ovariectomized model, and this could provide an alternative way to avoid the negative effects of high-dose replacement hormone therapy.