Malek Soleimani Mehranjani - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran
Mehri Azadbakht - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
Seyed Mohammad Ali Shariatzadeh - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized with hyperandrogenism, anovulation and insulin resistance, related to low levels of serum L-carnitine. The aim was to investigate the effect of L-carnitine on the mice ovary with PCOS stereologically.Methods: PCOS was induced through daily injections of testosterone enanthate (1 mg/100g s.c. for 5 weeks). NMRI mice (3 weeks old) were divided into 4 groups (n=6): Control, PCOS, PCOS + L-carnitine and L-carnitine. Treatment was carried out with the dose of 500 mg/kg by i.p injections every other day for 4 weeks. The ovaries were then studied stereologically. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA and Tukey s test and the means were considered significantly different at (p Result: The total volume of ovary, the volume of cortex and the number of antral follicles reduced significantly in the PCOS group compared to the control, while these parameters significantly increased in the PCOS+L-carnitine group compared to the PCOS group. The number of primary and preantral follicles showed a significant increase in the PCOS group when compared to the control, but a significant reduction was found in the mentioned parameters in the PCOS+L-carnitine group. The volume of oocyte and the thickness of zona pellucida (ZP) in the preantral and antral follicles significantly increased in PCOS+L-carnitine group to the control level when compared to the PCOS group.Conclusion: L-carnitine could prevent the undesired histological changes of ovary in mice with induced PCOS.

L-carnitine, Mouse, Stereology, Polycystic ovary syndrome