Background and aims: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women. This syndrome symptom of androgens, anovulation, infertility and obesity is determined. The important symptoms for polycystic ovary syndrome, is the increasing of blood androgen. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of Licorice root hydroalcoholic extract on hyperandrogenism complications caused by experimental polycystic ovarian on fertility ability of female mice.

Methods: In this study, 84 mice were divided in 6 groups: control group, experimental group that Hyperandrogenism (HA) was induced by oral administration of 2mg/kg letrozole and protective effects of licorice root were studied in three doses: 150, 300, 450 mg/kg by gavage for 21 consecutive days. The sixth group was administrated by 450 mg/kg licorice extract alone.  The treatment groups received licorice extract with noted doses in oral administration after 2 hours. At the end of the treatment period, 10 rats from each group were randomly chosen for in vitro fertilization. In the process of in vitro fertilization of the oocytes, the rate of embryos, blastocysts and stopping the fertilization was compared between different groups.

Results: Comparing the results of different groups showed that fertilization factors in the hyperandrogenism group decreased very much and licorice extract could have relative protective effects. These effects were higher in the treatment group 2.

Conclusions: Finally, it can be concluded that the adverse effects of letrozole have the potential to reduce female fertility and the use of appropriate doses of licorice extract as an antioxidant could reduce somewhat adverse effects of hyperandrogenism resulted of polycystic ovary syndrome on the fertility of female mice.