title: Unexpected effect of the vehicle (grain ethanol) of homeopathic FSH on the in vitro survival and development of isolated ovine preantral follicles.
abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of medium replacement system (experiment I) and of FSH presentations (homeopathic - FSH 6cH and allopathic FSH - rFSH; experiment II) on the in vitro development, hormone production and gene expression of isolated ovine preantral follicles cultured for 6 days. In experiment I, secondary follicles were cultured in the α-MEM+supplemented with FSH 6cH (0.05 fg/ml) or recombinant bovine FSH (100 ng/ml) without/with daily medium addition. The homeopathic FSH treatments with/without medium addition improved (p < .05) follicular development compared to rFSH100 treatment without addition. FSH 6cH with addition showed the highest (p < .05) estradiol production. To verify whether the effects of homeopathic FSH were not due to its vehicle, experiment II was performed. The α-MEM+was supplemented or not with alcohol (0.2% grain ethanol, v/v), FSH 6cH or rFSH100 with daily medium addition. Surprisingly, we found that all treatments improved follicular development compared to the α-MEM+(p < .05). Moreover, homeopathic FSH was similar to the other treatments including its vehicle. In conclusion, its vehicle (ethanol) causes the effect of homeopathic FSH on in vitro development of isolated ovine preantral follicles.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lartiza F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6391-7113
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rebeca M P
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Beatriz G
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivina R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gerlane M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovanna Q
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diana C S
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Nunes-Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônia D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.affiliation: Group of Research in Biology of Reproduction - Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arlindo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula R
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Campello
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles Department of Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Itaperi Campus, Fortaleza, CE, 60740-903, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Ricardo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000032:analysis; D017630:Connexins / Q000032:analysis; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006705:Homeopathy; D006728:Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012756:Sheep; D000097006:Gap Junction alpha-4 Protein
chemical_list: D053148:Caspase 3; D018031:Connexin 43; D017630:Connexins; D004958:Estradiol; D000431:Ethanol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006728:Hormones; D011374:Progesterone; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000097006:Gap Junction alpha-4 Protein
keywords: ethanol; homeopathy; hormone; in vitro culture; ovarian follicles