Protective Effect of Icariin on the Development of Preimplantation Mouse Embryos against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Injury

Figure 2

One-cell embryos cultured in the presence or absence of ICA under H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. Zygotes (27 h p-hCG) were pretreated for 30 min with 60 μM H₂O₂ and then cultured in ICA until blastocyst stage (120 h p-hCG). Images of preimplantation embryos were obtained at 2-cell (45 h p-hCG), 4-cell (66 h p-hCG), and blastocyst (120 h p-hCG). Restored development of preimplantation embryos was apparent in the ICA-treated group. Bar = 100 μm.