Therapeutic Effects of Licorice Extract on In vitro Maturation and In vitro Fertilization in Mice Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background and This study aimed at evaluating the effects of different doses of Licorice extract on in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this study 32 female adult mice were randomly assigned into four groups. Group I was the control, group II were estradiol valerate-induced PCOS mice (0.2cc), and groups III and IV were induced PCOS that received Licorice extract at 100mg/kg/day and 150 mg/kg/day dosage, respectively for 3 weeks. Afterwards, blood sample were taken and the testosterone and esteradiol levels were measured. GV oocytes were isolated from ovaries and cultured in TEM199. The oocytes (MII) were inseminated with sperm. Then, the fertilization and blastocyst stage development were investigated under inverted microscope. The serum testosterone and estradiol levels significantly decreased in treatment groups compared with PCOS mice (P&le0.05). Also, the number of oocytes, fertilization, number of two-cell and blastocysts significantly increased in treatment groups compared to the PCOS group (P&le0.05). The results showed that licorice is effective on sex hormones in induced PCOS mice and also it could improve IVM and IVF in induced PCOS mice.