Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

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

Authors
1 Biology Department, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3 Anatomy Department, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
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/N-acetylgalactoseamine 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.
Keywords

  1. Delaquis PJ, Stanich K, Girard B, Mazza G. Antimicrobial activity of individual and mixed fractions of dill, cilantro, coriander and eucalyptus essential oils. Int J Food Microbiol. 2002;74(1-2):101-9.
  2. Satyanarayana S, Sushruta K, Sarma GS, Srinivas N, Subba Raju GV. Antioxidant activity of the aqueous extracts of spicy food additives--evaluation and comparison with ascorbic acid in in-vitro systems. J Herb Pharmacother. 2004;4(2):1-10.
  3. Yazdanparast R, Alavi M. Antihyperlipidaemic and antihypercholesterolaemic effects of Anethum graveolens leaves after theremoval of furocoumarins. Cytobios. 2001;105(410):185-91.
  4. Zheng GQ, Kenney PM, Lam LK. Anethofuran, carvone, and limonene: potential cancer chemopreventive agents from dill weed oil and caraway oil. Planta Med. 1992;58(4):338-41.
  5. Hosseinzadeh H, Karimi GR, Ameri M. Effects of Anethum graveolens L. seed extracts on experimental gastric irritation models in mice. BMC Pharmacol. 2002;2:21.
  6. Duke JA. Handbook of medicinal herbs. 2nd ed. London: CRC Press; 2002.
  7. Weiss RF. Weiss’s herbal medicine. New York: Thieme; 2001.
  8. Monsefi M, Ghasemi M, Bahaoddini A. The effects of Anethum graveolens L. on female reproductive system. Phytother Res. 2006;20(10):865-8.
  9. Monsefi M, Ghasemi M, Bahaodini A. The effects of Anethum graveolens L on female reproductive system of rats. Daru. 2006;14(3):131–5.
  10. Monsefi M, Pahlavan S. Effects of aqueous extract of Anethum graveolens L on male reproductive system of rats. J Biol Sci. 2007;7(5):815–8.
  11. Monsefi M, Zahmati M, Masoudi M, Javidnia K. Effects of Anethum graveolens L. on fertility in male rats. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2011;16(6):488-97.
  12. Malihezaman M, Mojaba M, Elham H, Farnaz G, Ramin M. Anti-fertility effects of different fractions of Anethum graveolens L. extracts on female rats. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2012;9(3):336-41.
  13. US Department of Health and Human Services. Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. 8th ed. Washington DC: NIH publication;1985. 246 p.
  14. Fazel AR, Schulte BA, Spicer SS. Glycoconjugate unique to migrating primordial germ cells differs with genera. Anat Rec. 1990;228(2):177-84.
  15. Hunter E. Practical electron microscopy: A beginner's Illustrated guide by Elaine Hunter. England: Cambridge University Press; 1993. p. 104-12.
  16. Sadlier RMFS, editor. Cycles and seasons. England: Cambridge University Press; 1972. p. 85-102. (Austin CR, Short RV, editor. Reproduction in Mammals I: Germ cells and fertilization).
  17. Berne RM, Levy MN, Koeppen BM, Stanton BA. Principles of Physiology. 7th ed. England: Cambridge University Press; 2000.
  18. Evan WC. Trease and evans pharmacognosy. 14 th ed. London: Saunders; 1996.
  19. Hung H. Inhibition of estrogen receptor alpha expression and function in MCF-7 cells by kaempferol. J Cell Physiol. 2004;198(2):197-208.
  20. Kurzer MS, Xu X. Dietary phytoestrogens. Annu Rev Nutr. 1997;17:353-81.
  21. Jimenez-Movilla M, Aviles M, Gomez-Torres MJ, Fernandez-Colom PJ, Castells MT, de Juan J, et al. Carbohydrate analysis of the zona pellucida and cortical granules of human oocytes by means of ultrastructural cytochemistry. Hum Reprod. 2004;19(8):1842-55.
  22. Zhao M, Dean J. The zona pellucida in folliculogenesis, fertilization and early development. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2002;3(1):19-26.
  23. Litscher ES, Wassarman PM. Egg extracellular coat proteins: from fish to mammals. Histol Histopathol. 2007;22(3):337-47.
  24. Aviles M, El-Mestrah M, Jaber L, Castells MT, Ballesta J, Kan FW. Cytochemical demonstration of modification of carbohydrates in the mouse zona pellucid during folliculogenesis. Histochem Cell Biol. 2000;113(3):207-19.
  25. El-Mestrah M, Kan FW. Distribution of lectin-binding glycosidic residues in the hamster follicular oocytes and their modificationsin the zona pellucid after ovulation. Mol Reprod Dev. 2001;60(4):517-34.
  26. Lutsyk A, Sogomonian E. Structural, functional, and lectin histochemical characteristics of rat ovaries and endometrium in experimental hyper- and hypothyroidism. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2012;50(3):331-9.
  27. Parillo F, Dall'Aglio C, Verini Supplizi A, Ceccarelli P, Gargiulo AM. Immunogold study on lectin binding in the porcine zona pellucid and granulosa cells. Eur J Histochem. 2003;47(4):353-8.
  28. Talaei-Khozani T, Aminizadeh N, Aliabadi A, Mesbah SF, Zolghadr J. Lectin reactivity of expanded mouse blastocysts after exposure to sera from women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion. Reprod Toxicol. 2005;20(4):531-7.