Improved hormonal and oxidative changes by Royal Jelly in the rat model of PCOS: An experimental study

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and complex metabolic disorder, associated with anovulation, changes in sex hormone, biochemical factors, and ovarian tissue. Royal jelly (RJ) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

To examine the therapeutic effect of RJ on PCOS-related hormonal and biochemical changes in a rat model of PCOS.

In this experimental study, 42 female Wistar rats (weighing 180-200 gr, aged 10-12 week) were divided into six groups (n = 7/each): control; PCOS; RJ 100 mg/kg; RJ 200 mg/kg; PCOS + RJ 100 mg/kg; and PCOS + RJ 200 mg/kg. After 21 days, the animals were weighed and dissected. The serums were used for nitric oxide (NO) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and estradiol and progesterone measurements. The ovaries were assessed for histological changes.

PCOS increased estradiol and NO levels, and decreased progesterone and FRAP levels. In PCOS+ RJ groups, the progesterone (p  =0.01) and FRAP levels (p ≤ 0.001) increased and the estradiol and NO (p ≤ 0.001) levels decreased significantly. Moreover, the number of mature follicles (p = 0.01) and corpus luteum increased (p ≤ 0.001), and ovarian and uterus weight deceased significantly (p ≤ 0.001).

RJ improved estradiol, progesterone, FRAP, and NO levels, and ovarian structure in the rat model of PCOS.