Anti-fertility effects of different fractions of Anethum graveolens L. extracts on female rats

Effects of Anethum graveolens L. on In Vitro Matured Mouse Oocytes and Granulosa Cells

BACKGROUND

According to previous studies, Anethum graveolens L. (dill) aqueous extracts decreased the fertility of female rats. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of this herb on cultured granulosa cells and immature oocytes.

METHODS

The cells were obtained from 27-29 day immature superovulated mice. The oocytes were cultured in a petri dish consisting of 30 μl drops of MEM-α and granulosa cells in a 24-well plate consisting of DMEM/F12 and different concentrations of 0, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10000 μg/ml of dill seed aqueous extract (DSAE) in 37°C and 5% CO₂. Then, the in vitro maturation of oocytes, including Germinal Vesicle (GV), Germinal Vesicle Breakdown (GVBD), and meiosis II (MII) and oocyte bioviability were determined. Granulosa cells were then extracted and their bioviability, apoptosis, chromatin condensation, and lipid synthesis were examined. Estrogen and progesterone concentrations and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity were measured by RIA and spectrophotometry respectively from the supernatant of granulosa cell culture.

RESULTS

The results revealed that concentration of 10000 μg/ml of DSAE were toxic and damaged granulosa cell growth and oocytes maturation. Lower concentrations were the same in the control group and did not have any side effects on cell growth. The number of lipid droplets, estrogen and progesterone concentrations, and ALP activity increased with higher doses of DSAE compared to those in the control culture. Additionally, apoptosis and chromatin condensation increased in higher concentrations of DSAE-(500 and 1000 μg/ml) treated cells. This herb extract decreased the oocytes maturation in dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that DSAE increased granulosa cells activity but damaged oocytes maturation, therefore it might be introduced as infertility agent.

Investigating Chemical Composition and Indications of Hydrosol Soft Drinks (Aromatic Waters) Used in Persian Folk Medicine for Women's Hormonal and Reproductive Health Conditions

Hydrosol soft drinks in Persian nutrition culture are produced as side products of the essential oil industry to be used as safe remedies for treatment of some ailments. This study investigated hydrosols for women's hormonal health conditions. Detailed information was gathered by questionnaires. Chemical constituents of these mono- or poly-herbal hydrosols were identified after liquid/liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Hierarchical cluster and K-means analysis (SPSS software) were used to find their relevance. A literature survey was also performed. In most cases, thymol, carvacrol, and carvone were the major constituents except for dill, white horehound, willow, Moderr, and yarrow hydrosols, whose their major components were dill ether, menthol, phenethyl alcohol, linalool, or camphor. Based on clustering methods, some similarities could be found in their constituents with some exceptions. None of them have been studied scientifically before. These investigations may lead to the development of some functional drinks or even new lead components.

Use of lipid-lowering medicinal herbs during pregnancy: A systematic review on safety and dosage

BACKGROUND

Hyperlipidemia is one of the important diseases in pregnancy that causes fetal abnormalities during pregnancy and after the birth. Unfortunately, the usual anti-fat drugs are associated with high morbidity in fetus and due to people's inclination towards taking herbs, it is required to identify side effects of medicinal herbs in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to present hypolipidemic herbs that would not any complications for mother and fetus.

METHODS

In this review article, the major electronic databases such as EBSCO, Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), China Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Cochrane, Google scholar, MEDLINE, SciVerse, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched using the key words "herbal" and "hyperlipidemia", "herbal" and "pregnancy" matched by MeSH from their respective inceptions till September, 2016. Total of 1723 publications (145 review articles, 855 original research articles, and 723 abstracts) about the effect of herbals on hyperlipidemia and 682 publications (200 abstracts, 423 original research articles, and 59 review articles) about the effect of herbals in pregnancy were retrieved. At the end, a list of medicinal plants effective on hyperlipidemia alongside their effects on pregnancy was developed. Finally, the plants effective on hyperlipidemia and safe during pregnancy were determined and their dosage, complications, mechanism of action, and side effects were reported.

RESULTS

A total of 110 effective herbs on hyperlipidemia were identified and complications of 95 plants in pregnancy were studied. At last, among the 55 selected plants effective on hyperlipidemia and examined for pregnancy, we reported 12 herbs with their dosage and special considerations that can be used to treat hyperlipidemia during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Some medicinal plants can be used to treat hyperlipidemia during pregnancy without any significant side effects both on mother or fetus.

Effects of Anethum graveolens L. (dill) on Oocyte and Fertility of Adult Female Rats

BACKGROUND

Our previous studies revealed Anethum graveolens L. caused some changes in female reproductive system that induced infertility. Therefore, in this study, oocyte changes as one of probable reasons of infertility were investigated.

METHODS

In this study, 59 adult female rats were divided into 3 groups of control, low dose (0.5 g/kg) and high dose (5 g/kg) of dill seed aqueous extract (LDE and HDE) treated groups that were gavaged with 1 ml of each dose for 10 days (2 estrous cycles). Vaginal smears were prepared daily. Oocytes of superovulated animals were extracted and their morphometrical changes were measured (n = 5). Oocyte cell membrane glycoconjugates were stained with UEA, PNA, and DBA-FITC lectins (n = 5). Ultrastructural studies of oocytes were performed using TEM (n = 5). The number, weight, and crown-rump length of newborns were examined in three groups after mating with untreated males (n = 5). Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated that the duration of the estrous cycle, the diestrus phase and progesterone concentration in the experimental groups increased significantly compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Granulosa cells of corpus luteum in HDE-treated group were larger and clearer. The intensity reactions of galactose/Nacetylgalactoseamine terminal sugar of oocyte decreased insignificantly in experimental groups compared to the control group p > 0.05. Duration of mating to pregnancy increased and the weight and crown-rump length of newborns decreased in experimental groups significantly (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Dill seed aqueous extract can induce infertility without any effect on oocyte structure.