OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of Dan'e Fukang Soft Extract (DFSE) on improving oocyte and embryo qualities in endometriosis patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODSTotally 70 patients with endometriosis confirmed by laparoscope were randomly assigned to two groups, the treated group and the control group, 35 cases in each group. Patients in the treated group were treated with DFSE + controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), while those in the control group were treated with DFSE placebo + COH. Besides, recruited were another 35 subjects undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (ICSI-ET) as a normal control group. The content of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) in the granulocytes of the mature follicular fluid on the oocyte retrieval day was determined by Western blot. The mRNA expression of GDF-9 was detected by RT-PCR. The oocyte retrieval number, the cleavage rate, the fertilization rate,the high-quality embryo rate, and the pregnancy rate were compared.

RESULTSThe mRNA expression of GDF-9 in the granulocytes was significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05), but with no statistical difference when compared with that of the normal control group. There was no statistical difference in the cleavage rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). The fertilization rate and the high-quality embryo rate were higher in the treated group than in the control group, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05), but with no statistical difference when compared with that of the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONSDFSE could improve the oocyte and embryo qualities of endometriosis patients undergoing IVF-ET. Its mechanism might be associated with regulating the GDF-9 mRNA level of granulocytes.