Capacity of Mentha spicata (spearmint) Extract in Alleviating Hormonal and Folliculogenesis Disturbances in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Rat Model

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common cause of infertility among women in the reproductive age, is associated with high levels of androgens. Recognizing the anti-androgenic effects of spearmint, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of its hydroalcoholic extract on the levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone and ovarian folliculogenesis in normal and letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome rats. Female mature rats were divided into six groups (n=8 per group), as follows: Normal rats (I or Control), normal rats which received 250 mg/kg spearmint extract (II) or 500 mg/kg spearmint extract (III), and PCOS-induced rats (IV), PCOSinduced rats which received 250 mg/kg spearmint extract (V), or 500 mg/kg spearmint extract (VI). At the end of the experiment the animals were euthanized, and then mentioned parameters were evaluated. Administration of spearmint extract to PCOS rats resulted in a decrease of body weight and testosterone level, higher corpus luteum, and lower ovarian cysts and atretic follicles, compared to PCOS rats which received no spearmint. Accordingly, the spearmint can attenuate polycystic ovarian syndrome-related problems, such as a high testosterone level and ovarian cysts.