1College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani Nwe, Sulaimani City, Iraq
2College of Health Sciences, Komar University of Science and Technology (KUST), Chaq-Chaq Qularaise, Sarchinar District, Sulaimani City, Iraq
3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
4Directorate of Veterinary, Veterinary Medicine Hospital, Sulaimani City, Iraq
5China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, Selangor, Malaysia
6DigiCare Behavioral Research, Casa Grande, AZ, USA
7Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani Nwe, Sulaimani City, Iraq
8Respiratory Medicine and Allergology Unit Department of Medical Science, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
*Corresponding e-mail: heshusr77@gmail.com
Online published on 19 November, 2018.
The white mulberry, Morus alba L. has been used by several Asian societies for the treatment of infertility. However, there is no evidence that products of the plant can influence ovarian health. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of the Morus alba fruit extract on the ovarian function of nonpregnant and pregnant rats. The study showed that in rats Morus alba fruit extract stimulates follicular stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing hormones (LH), estrogen, and progesterone productions that peaked at 8 days of treatment. The effect was dose-dependent with hormone production increasing with increase in dose of the extract. The Graafian follicles were fully matured, and the number increased with increase in dose of the extract. The uterus of pregnant rats contained several embryos that gave birth to the full-term offspring without abortion or embryonic abnormalities. In conclusion, the Morus alba fruit extract can be used to induce superovulation to cause multiple pregnancies. Thus, the Morus alba fruit extract has potential to be developed into a compound for the treatment of female infertility.
Ovulation induction, Multiple pregnancies, Hormone levels, Natural products, Rat model