Effects of Crocin on Ovarian Follicle and Serum Sex Hormone in Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Rat Model

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, which is characterized by ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenism. Crocin is the main component of saffron. According to antioxidant properties and protective effects of crocin on gonads, this study was done to evaluate the effect of crocin on serum levels of gonadotropin, β-estradiol, testosterone and ovarian follicle in a rat model of polycystic ovarian syndrome
In this experimental study, 28 Wistar rats were divided into 4 equal groups. Including: control, non-treated PCOS and two PCOS groups treated with crocin (50 and 100 mg/kg). Polycystic ovarian syndrome was induced by 28 days injection of 1 mg/kg letrozole. Crocin was intraperitoneally administered into treated PCOS groups for 28 days. Saline solution was injected to the animals of control and non-treated PCOS groups. At the end of period treatment, serum levels of LH, FSH, testosterone and β-estradiol was measured using ELISA. Then, ovarian tissue samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and histological changes were examined. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukey statistical tests (p Serum level of LH, testosterone, β-estradiol and the number of cystic follicles in the PCOS group treated with 100 mg/kg crocin compared to the non-treated PCOS group significantly decreased and FSH, the number of preantral follicles, antral and corpus luteum significantly increased (p Crocin has been effective in improving ovarian cysts and hormonal disorders in rats with polycystic ovarian syndrome.