P-69: Effect of Fennel (Foeniculum Volgare) on The Postnatal Ovary Development in The Rat

Background: Histological and histometrical effects of Fennel Essential Oil (FEO) on ovary structure were studied during postnatal development in female wistar rats. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the female rats, after parturition divided in control, sham and experimental groups with equal number of female pups for each mother at random. Sham 1 and experimental 1 groups consisted of mothers received respectively normal salin or FEO during the first 10 days of lactation; sham 2 and experimental 2 groups consisted of mothers were treated same as sham 1 and experimental 1 but during the second 10 days of lactation. In all groups, FEO and salin were administered by gavage in dose 500 mg/kg/day. At age 22, 53 or 84 day old, tissue samples from ovary were removed in different groups and fixed in Bouin's solution. For microscopic studies, following tissue processing, 5-6 μm sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin. Results: The results showed that FEO increased antral follicles number in 22 and increase corpus luteum number in 84 day old of experimental groups in comparison with control and sham groups but this increase in experimental 2 was more. Also, FEO increased primordial follicles number and decreased developing follicles number in all ages of experimental 1. FEO decreased primordial numbers and increased primary follicles number in experimental 2. Moreover, atretic follicles number in these groups decreased in comparison with control and sham groups. But this decrease in experimental 2 was more. Conclusion: So, present study indicates that consumption of FEO during lactation period may affect rat offspring ovary development by exerting estrogenic effects. Exposure neonatally, causes an abnormal phenotype, postpones primordial to primary follicle transition and decreases number of growing follicles. Exposure prepubertaly promotes follicular development of rat offspring ovary.