Effects of Lorazepam on Ovary and Ovulation of Balb/C adult Female Mouse

Aims: The usage of antidepressants and sedatives such as lorazepam can cause side effects, including temporary or permanent infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lorazepam on the ovaries and ovulation of adult female Balb/C mice. Methods: 75 adult female mice were studied in 5 groups and 15 mice in each group. Lorazepam drug injection was done intraperitoneally (IP) by selecting a fixed dose of 2 mg/kg.bw for three groups at three different times. The study groups were included: the first experimental group for 5 days, the second experimental group for 10 days and the third experimental group for 15 days’ injection, sham group (distilled water injection) and control group (without injection). The day after the last injection, the mice were carefully dissected and their ovaries were removed for tissue examination. Results: Parameters such as animal weight, high and small diameter of ovary, the follicles number of primary, secondary, growing and graph and corpus luteum were significantly decreased by duration increasing of drug injection in experimental groups in compared with control group (P<0.05). There was a significant increase in parameters such as the number of destructive follicles and folded zona pellucida compared to the control group. Conclusion: In general, it can be concluded that the use of lorazepam for a long time had a destructive effect on female mice ovaries.