The effects of chronic oxytocin administration on body weight and food intake in DHT-induced PCOS model rats

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with metabolic disorders, which are exacerbated by obesity. Recent studies have revealed that oxytocin contributes to metabolic, appetite, and body weight regulation. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of chronic administration of oxytocin on body weight, food intake, and fat mass in a dihydrotestosterone-induced rat model of PCOS. Body weight, body weight change, and relative cumulative food intake were significantly lower in the oxytocin-treated PCOS rats than in the vehicle-treated control PCOS rats. Similarly, visceral adipocyte size was significantly smaller in the oxytocin-treated PCOS rats than in the vehicle-treated control PCOS rats. On the other hand, the numbers of cystic follicles in the ovary did not differ between the two groups. The chronic administration of oxytocin did not affect the rats' serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, or lactate dehydrogenase levels, indicating that it does not have adverse effects on hepatic function. These findings suggest that oxytocin could be a candidate drug for preventing the onset of obesity-related metabolic disorders in PCOS patients.