A Study of the Protective Effects of Vitamin E and Fennel Extract on Mitochondria Changes in Mice Ovary Due to Electromagnetic Field Exposure

Objective: Everyday use of different types of electrical instruments and appliances has caused a large number of people to constantly be under the influence of electromagnetic fields. Materials and Methods: For the purpose of this study, 40 female rats were randomly chosen from among 3 months old rats from the animals’ laboratory and they weighed 20 + 200 g. Then, they were randomly divided into 4 groups; control (n = 10), experiment 1 (Ex1) (n = 10), experiment 2 (Ex2) (n = 10), and experiment 3 (Ex3) (n = 10). During the experiment, all 4 groups were maintained in the same conditions and received the same feeding. The experiment groups 1, 2, and 3 were under the influence of a 50 Hz electromagnetic field (EMF) for 8 weeks. Subsequently, the second and third groups were kept away from the EMF effect for another 8 weeks. At the end of the study, after removal of the ovaries by glutaraldehyde, they were prepared for examination using an electron microscope. Group Ex2 rats were not sacrificed and were maintained in the normal laboratory environment for another 8 weeks away from the impacts of EMF. The rats were fed vitamin E(100 mg/kg) and fennel extract (1.5 g per body weight) every day orally and at the end of the second 8 weeks samples were taken. During the second 8 weeks, group Ex3 was kept in normal conditions without the use of vitamin E and fed fennel extract, and then, samples were taken. Samples were taken simultaneously from 10 rats of the control group and Ex1 group. Results: The results from the mitochondria in the ovary in the groups under the influence of electromagnetic waves indicated that this intracellular organ, compared to samples from the control group, was deformed and the majority of the organs were vacuolated. The mitochondrial vacuolization of the first to fourth groups were 1 ± 0.55, 9 ± 0.55, 6 ± 0.55, and 11 ± 0.55, respectively. Conclusion: Vitamin E and fennel extract can reduce the damaging effects of non-ionizing radiation with 50 Hz frequency on the ovarian follicles.