Effect of Rhodiola sachalinensis Aqueous Extract on In Vitro Maturation of Porcine Oocytes and Subsequent In Vitro Embryonic Development.

Oxidative stress can impede maturation of the nucleus and cytoplasm of oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM). Rhodiola sachalinensis, an herb commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, conveys antioxidative effects to cryopreserved bovine sperm. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of R. sachalinensis aqueous extract (RSAE) on IVM and subsequent in vitro embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The results showed that RSAE supplementation (6 and 60 mg/L) significantly increased intracellular glutathione levels, but had no effect on maturation rates or reactive oxygen species. After in vitro culture, greater blastocyst formation was observed in PA embryos (6 mg/L RSAE), as well as in IVF and SCNT embryos (60 mg/L) matured in RSAE-supplemented IVM media. In conclusion, although there was no significant improvement in the maturation rate, RSAE supplementation conveyed an antioxidative effect during IVM, and improved subsequent embryonic development in vitro. Further studies are needed to explore gene expression pattern in oocytes and embryos treated with RSAE.