Maryam Ekramzadeh - Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Nutrition Research Center, ShirazUniversity of Medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Saeed Sherafatmanesh - Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz
Nader Tanideh - Stem Cell and Transgenic Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mohammad-Taghi Golmakani - Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz
Farhad Koohpeyma - Shiraz Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Background and Aim : Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder. The aim ofthe present study was to evaluate the effect of oral administration of thylakoid-rich spinach extract andaqueous extract of caraway in letrozole induced polycystic ovary syndrome rats.Methods : Sixty female rats were randomly divided into five groups of 12 animals per group. Letrozole (1mg/kg) was administered orally for a period of 28 days for the induction of PCOS. Sham and PCOS controlrats received 1 mL/day of distilled water and three groups of PCOS rats were given 150 mg/kg ofmetformin, 3 gr/kg caraway, and thylakoid at a dose of 6 mg chlorophyll/gr food intake/day by oral gavagefor 8 weeks. Finally, blood samples were collected and the right ovary of rats was removed, weighed andfixed in 4% buffered formalin to determine the biochemical and stereological parameters.Results : Compared to PCOS control group, consuming metformin, thylakoid and caraway extractssignificantly improved the fasting blood sugar (FBS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα),malondialdehyde (MDA), luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin resistance, and body weight along with highervolumes of the corpus luteum and reduced number of atretic follicles after 8 weeks (?<0.05). Althoughcaraway treatment caused a significant increase in the HDL-C level (P<0.001), no significant change wasobserved for thylakoid and metformin groups compared to the PCOS control group.Conclusion : Our data have shown thylakoid and caraway extracts consumption for eight weeks may havebeneficial effects on biochemical and stereological disorders in PCOS induced rats.

Ovarian Cysts, Insulin Resistance, Chlorophyll, Ovarian Function Tests, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Phytotherapy, Blood Glucose, Luteinizing Hormone, Body Weight