The phytoestrogen ferutinin affects female sexual behavior modulating ERα expression in the hypothalamus

This study was designed to assess the effect of the phytoestrogenic compound ferutinin, chronically administered in ovariectomized progesterone primed rats, alone or in combination with estradiol benzoate. After 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatments, female rats were tested for receptive (lordosis) and proceptive behaviors (hops, darts and ear wigglings). Ferutinin given alone markedly increased the intensity of the lordotic response in ovariectomized rats but failed to significantly affect proceptivity. On the other hand estradiol benzoate significantly increased both receptive and proceptive behaviors. When administered in combination with estradiol, ferutinin reduced the increase in receptivity and proceptivity due to estrogen effects, acting as an antiestrogen. At the end of the behavioral experiments, animals were sacrificed and Western blot analysis of estrogen receptor α (ERα) levels was performed in the dissected hypothalami. Ferutinin increased ERα expression when administered alone, as estradiol did, but decreased the response to estradiol when administered in combination. These results suggest that ferutinin displays estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity through ERα in the hypothalamus, depending on the absence or the presence of estrogen priming.