title: Melatonin treatment results in regression of endometriotic lesions in an ooferectomized rat endometriosis model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the effects of melatonin treatment on endometrial implants in an oopherectomized rat endometriosis model.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a prospective, randomised, controlled experimental study. It was carried out at the Experimental Research Center of Yeditepe University (YUDETAM). Twenty-two, female, non-pregnant, nulligravid Spraque-Dawley albino rats were included in our study. Endometriosis was surgically induced in oopherectomized rats. Rats were randomised into two groups: control group and melatonin group. In the melatonin group, rats were treated with melatonin (20 mg/kg/day) for two weeks. After the operations were performed to assess the regression of the endometriotic lesions, melatonin treatment was stopped. At the end of the sixth week necropsies were performed to assess the rate of recurrence. The volume and histopathological scores of endometriotic foci were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Volumes of the endometriotic lesions significantly decreased in the melatonin group. Also, when the melatonin group was analysed within itself, endometriotic lesion volumes decreased and histopathological scores increased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin causes regression of the endometriotic lesions in rats and improvement in their histopathological scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilüfer Çetinkaya
authors.initials: NÇ
authors.lastname: Kocadal
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rukset
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Attar
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gazi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fıçıcıoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Experimental Studies and Research Center, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bayram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeditepe University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Narter
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yesildaglar
keywords: Endometriosis; histopathological score; melatonin; oopherectomized rats; volume