The role of melatonin in preventing ovarian tissue damage in rats exposed to magnetic fields

2018 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1994

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2018

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The role of melatonin in preventing ovarian tissue damage in rats exposed to magnetic fields Küçük Z, Erkayıran U, Çaydere M, Kayaalp D, Karca Altıncaba D. The role of melatonin in preventing ovarian tissue damage in rats exposed to magnetic fields. Turk J Med Sci. 2018 Oct 31;48(5):1073-1079. doi: 10.3906/sag-1707-98. Abstract OBJECTIVES: We observed the efficacy of melatonin in preventing ovarian tissue damage in rats exposed to magnetic fields. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty rats were divided into four treatment groups: Group 1, control group (n = 10); Group 2, melatonin administration only (n = 10); Group 3, magnetic field exposure only (n = 10); Group 4, magnetic field exposure with melatonin administration (n = 10). The magnetic field was applied at a dose of 20 μT for 30 min/day for 10 days. Melatonin was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg. We evaluated follicle count, degree of fibrosis, amount of adhesion, amount of apoptosis, ovarian dimensions, and follicular degeneration by dissecting the ovaries of the rats on day 11, and differences among the groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Group 3 had an increased amount of follicle degeneration, more fibrosis, and more adhesion than Group 4, but these findings were not statistically significant. The apoptosis scores in Groups 1 and 2 were significantly lower than in the other groups. Ovarian dimensions were significantly decreased in Group 3. Follicular degeneration was significantly increased in Group 3. CONCLUSION: Exogenously administered melatonin, if used at much higher doses orally, may be a noncytotoxic, antiapoptotic agent and may also have a protective effect on ovarian tissue damage that radiation can cause at the level of fine structure ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationRats

Sample size40

ExposureELF · 30 min/day for 10 days

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Rats exposed to a magnetic field (20 µT, 30 min/day for 10 days) showed significantly decreased ovarian dimensions and significantly increased follicular degeneration versus other groups. Fibrosis, adhesion, and follicle degeneration were higher in the magnetic-field-only group than in the magnetic-field-plus-melatonin group, but these differences were not statistically significant; apoptosis scores were significantly lower in control and melatonin-only groups than in the other groups.

Outcomes measured

Follicle count
Degree of fibrosis
Amount of adhesion
Apoptosis
Ovarian dimensions
Follicular degeneration

Limitations

Magnetic field frequency not reported in abstract
Small group sizes (n=10 per group)
Some between-group differences (e.g., fibrosis/adhesion) were not statistically significant

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "magnetic field exposure",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "30 min/day for 10 days"
  },
  "population": "Rats",
  "sample_size": 40,
  "outcomes": [
    "Follicle count",
    "Degree of fibrosis",
    "Amount of adhesion",
    "Apoptosis",
    "Ovarian dimensions",
    "Follicular degeneration"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Rats exposed to a magnetic field (20 µT, 30 min/day for 10 days) showed significantly decreased ovarian dimensions and significantly increased follicular degeneration versus other groups. Fibrosis, adhesion, and follicle degeneration were higher in the magnetic-field-only group than in the magnetic-field-plus-melatonin group, but these differences were not statistically significant; apoptosis scores were significantly lower in control and melatonin-only groups than in the other groups.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Magnetic field frequency not reported in abstract",
    "Small group sizes (n=10 per group)",
    "Some between-group differences (e.g., fibrosis/adhesion) were not statistically significant"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "melatonin",
    "ovary",
    "ovarian tissue damage",
    "rats",
    "magnetic field",
    "20 µT",
    "apoptosis",
    "fibrosis",
    "adhesion",
    "follicular degeneration"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "animal-studies",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Experimental rat study assessing ovarian outcomes after magnetic field exposure and melatonin intervention."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3906/sag-1707-98
PubMed: Not supplied

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