Estrogenic properties of spices of the traditional Cameroonian dish “Nkui” in ovariectomized Wistar rats

Abstract

Abstract: Besides the basic role to flavor and color foods, several health benefits have been attributed to spices. The traditional Cameroonian food “Nkui” is prepared using several spices (: OVX female Wistar rats were randomly separated in several groups of five animals each and submitted to a 3-day uterotrophic assay (: These extracts increased the uterine wet weight, the uterine and vaginal epithelial heights, and the lumen and diameter of alveoli in the mammary glands. They also altered the estradiol-induced increase of uterine wet weight. The dichloromethane and methanol fractions of the ethanol extract exhibited estrogenic properties as well by increasing uterine and vaginal endpoints.: These results suggest that the spices of “Nkui” contain estrogenic phytoconstituents and this traditional food may be considered as functional.