astaxanthine and Infertility--Female

In a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (RCT) including 50 infertile women with endometriosis candidate for assisted reproductive techniques (ART), we studied the effect of Astaxanthin (AST) on pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress (OS) markers, and early pregnancy outcomes.. Before and after 12 weeks of AST treatment (6 mg per day), blood serum and follicular fluid (FF) samples were collected from 50 infertile women with endometriosis stage III/IV undergoing ART. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and OS markers (malondialdehyde [MDA], superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and total antioxidant capacity [TAC]) were measured in the serum and FF. ART outcomes were also compared between the groups.. Increased serum levels of TAC (398.661 ± 57.686. AST pretreatment can modulate inflammation and OS in endometriosis-induced infertile patients. ART outcomes also improved after 12 weeks of AST therapy. Our results suggest that AST can be a potential therapeutic target for infertile patients with endometriosis undergoing ART.

Topics: Antioxidants; Case-Control Studies; Endometriosis; Female; Fibrinolytic Agents; Follicular Fluid; Humans; Infertility, Female; Inflammation; Interleukin-6; Oxidative Stress; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Superoxide Dismutase; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha