Silymarin amplifies apoptosis in ectopic endometrial tissue in rats with endometriosis; implication on growth factor GDNF,ERK1/2 and Bcl-6b expression

The present prospective study was done to evaluate the effect of silymarin (SMN) on endometriotic-like legions establishment and growth in experimentally-induced endometriosis. For this purpose, the experimental endometriosis was induced in 12 rats and then the animals subdivided into endometriosis-sole and SMN (50?mg?kg^?1, orally)+endometriosis groups. Following 28 days, the legions establishment, size, Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), gfrα1, B Cell Lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6b), Bcl-2, extracellular regulator kinase (ERK1/2) expression ratios, angiogenesis, the apoptosis and fibrosis indices were investigated. The SMN significantly (P?2 of tissue versus endometriosis-sole group. The SMN?+?endometriosis group exhibited a significant (P?