Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
2 Department of Chemistry, Kermanshah Branch of ACECR, Kermanshah, Iran
Abstract
Keywords
Infertility is one of the main problems seen in
young couples. Due to cost and social problems,
some couples seek traditional methods to treat their
infertility before meeting with specialists. Since folk
medicine plays an important role in individual and
community primary health care, the use of herbal
products are increasing in many countries (
Foeniculum vulgare Mill (FVE; Fam. Umbellifarae),
commonly known as fennel, is a small genus
of annual, biennial or perennial herbs located
in central Europe and the Mediterranean region.
It is widely used as a culinary spice and grown in
different tropical regions of the world for its aromatic
fruits (
FVE has a clear protective effect against ethanolinduced gastric lesions, which is related to decreases in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity
(
FVE is an indigenous herb in Iran, and the plant
extract has been used as an antiseptic, palliative
and anti-inflammatory. In a study, FVE essence and
mefenamic acid were compared for the treatment
of primary dysmenorrheal and it was reported that
FVE could be used as a safe and effective herbal
drug for primary dysmenorrhea (
FVE fruit also possesses emnenagague, galactagogue,
carminative, diuretic, and lactation
stimulant properties (
FVE has been known to be able to regulate menstruation,
alleviate the symptoms of female climacteric
syndrome, and increase libido (
This study researches the quantitative aspects of folliculogenesis in female albino mice after administration of FVE fruit extract.
FVE fruits were collected from the bursa and
authenticated by a botanist (School of Pharmacy,
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences). The
extract was prepared according to Word of Health
Organization (WHO) protocol for preparation of
an alcoholic extract (
The intraperitoneal acute toxicity (LD50) of the
extract was evaluated in Swiss albino mice as previously
described (
The Ethical Committee of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences approved all procedures used in this study.
A total of 20 virgin, female albino mice with the
weight range of 25-30 g were used. The animals
were fed standard laboratory chow and water during
the experiment. We used the Whitten effect
for co-cycling animals (
Proestrus mice were divided into four groups
(n=5) (
Animals in all groups were sacrificed on the sixth
day of the study. The ovaries were dissected out,
cleaned of fat and fixed in 4% neutral buffered formaldehyde.
They were dehydrated in graded alcohols,
cleared in xylene, embedded in paraffin and
then serially sectioned at 6µm and stained with hematoxylin
and eosin (H&E).We improved Gupta
et al. method to study the histology of the ovary
(
After determining the estrogenic effect of FVE
extract, we examined the extract for diosgenin, a
plant steroid with estrogenic effect that is the precursor
for steroid hormones. The extract was prepared
for GC-MS analysis by standard methods
(
Statistical analyses of data were performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post hoc test. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
The total number of follicles were 26.5 ± 5.24 in
group 1(100 mg/kg FVE), 27.2 ± 4.1 in group 2
(200 mg/kg FVE), 10.1 ± 2.53 in group 3 (ethanol)
and 17.2 ± 3.9 in group 4(saline). There were significant
increases in the experimental groups compared to the control groups (p<0.05,
A. Comparison of total number of follicles (graffian, antral and primary) in experimental and control groups. FVE groups showed significant difference with both controls, B. Significant difference in the number of graffian follicles between experimental and control groups, C. Comparison of number of antral follicles in different groups. 100 mg/kg of FVE was the highest number, D. Comparison of number of multilaminar follicles in different groups. 200 mg/kg FVE has the highest number.
*p<0.005 vs. ethanol, †p<0.05 vs. normal.
A. Normal histological structure of mouse ovary with different follicles in the cortex. B. Mouse ovary in negative control (ethanol) group with degenerated follicles. C. Numerous growing (multilaminar) follicles in the ovarian cortex of mice in the 100 mg FVE group. D. Mice ovary with numerous growing (multilaminar and antral) follicles in the ovarian cortex in the 200 mg/kg FVE group (×100).
There was no significant difference in the number
of unilaminar primary follicles between all experimental
and control groups. Histological sections of
control and experimental groups showed increased
numbers of growing follicles in the FVE groups
(
To our knowledge, there is no scientific report on
the effect of FVE on the ovary. In the present study,
the alcoholic extract of FVE fruit has induced a
significant increase in the numbers of graffian,
antral and multilaminar primary follicles and improved
folliculogenesis in mice ovaries. This may
explain traditional fennel consumption to improve
female infertility. Follicular growth is regulated by
endocrine hormones [follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin]
and local (paracrine and autocrine) factors (
FVE constituent's dianethole and photoane hole
resemble stilbene and diethylstilbestrol, and anethole
is structurally similar to cathecolamines,
which may influence secretion of prolactin (
As described in many studies, FVE can affect
some reproductive factors. FVE appears to induce estrus in rats (
Both FVE doses showed nearly the same folliculogenesis
effect, but 100 mg/kg had more numbers
of antral follicles (
The present study elucidated the fact that FVE has a folliculogenesis effect in female mice consistent with its use in folk medicine as a fertility enhancing agent. Further studies are suggested for understanding the exact mechanism(s) underlying these actions and probable changes in hormonal levels.