Olfaction and Reproduction: a comparative review of traditional medicine and modern medicine

In spite of weaker human olfactory than the other mammals, there is remarkable relationship with other organs such as reproductive system. Through accurate understanding of this relationship, interfering in olfactory system may be resulted in reproductive systems and vice versa. Understanding the connection between human olfactory and sexual & reproductive systems is the purpose of this study. This study is a descriptive and comparative semi systematic review of modern medicine and Iranian traditional medicine references. Both modern medicine and Iranian traditional medicine indicate odor impact on sexual desire (libido) and fertilization. Both in Iranian traditional medicine and modern medicine suggest that ability or inability to smell certain substances, probably associate with fertility dysfunction. Therapeutic using of scents and fragrances can be seen more in Iranian traditional medicine.Discussion & Olfactory system affects Reproductive system in two ways: first, fertility will be more probability by increasing sexual desire (libido) and sexual behaviors and second, the olfactory system and the reproductive system have some common receptors. Inability to smell certain substances can be predicted fertility dysfunction. Therefore the concept of this study add the other researches are important because Often, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the olfactory system, are easier and less expensive than treatment of genital and reproductive system. By more accurate understanding of connections between these two systems, a new vision of fertility treatments will be achieved in Reproductive Medicine.