Histopathological and stereological studies of soybean hydroalcoholic extract effects on the rat ovary

Soybean is known as a rich resource of phytoestrogens. These compounds have antioxidant, anti cancerous and estrogenic effects. This research was performed to evaluate the effect of hydro alcoholic extract of soybean on ovarian tissue from histopathologic and stereologiclogic aspects. Maretials and 40 adult Spraque-Dawley female rats with age range about 10 weeks and randomly divided into five groups including control, sham and experiments 1, 2 and 3. The animals of experimental groups received soybean hydro alcoholic extract at doses of 30, 60, and 120 mg/kg for 25 days respectively in oral form. The sham group received distilled water. After anesthetizing, right ovaries were been dissected and weighted, afterthat processing of tissues was done based on histological and stereological studies. Qualitative histological studies were performed by H&E and Masson’s Trichrome staining methods. In stereological studies, ovarian volume was determined by Cavalieri method. Determination of follicular percentage and corpus luteum were calculated in all groups. Our finding showed that administration of soybean extract had not significant changes percentage of preantral and graafian follicles, corpus luteum, and ovarian volume in the experimental and sham regarding to the control group. Ovary weight in the experimental group 1increased significantly. Percentage of antral follicle in experimental group 3 was elevated significantly. Atretic follicle in all experimental groups decreased significantly (p≤0.05). No histological change was showed in histopathological studies. The results showed that decrease in atretic follicle percentage and increase in antral follicle percentage is positive effects in this phenomenon. Considering beneficial effects of soybean on most body systems, it seems that its consumption in balanced doses in a diet.