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OBJECTIVE	To observe the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Granule ( [ symbols ; see text ] , LDG ) for tonifying Kidney ( Shen ) on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization pre-embryo transfer ( IVF-ET ) of infertility women with Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome and to explore its mechanism by detecting the proteome expression in the follicular fluid .
METHODS	Sixty-six infertility patients of Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome who would undergo IVF-ET , were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group according to a random number table , 33 cases in each group .
METHODS	Another 33 cases of non-Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome was taken as a syndrome-control group .
METHODS	Besides Western routine therapy , LDG was given 3 menstrual cycles before IVF to the treatment group , and a placebo granule to the control and syndrome-control groups .
METHODS	The scores of Kidney-yin deficiency symptoms ( sore waist and knees , dry vagina , dysphoria with feverish sensation in the chest , palms and soles , etc. ) were assessed , the number of retrieved oocytes , rates of high quality oocytes and embryos , fertility rate and clinical pregnancy rate were recorded , and the follicular fluid was collected on the day when the ovum was picked up , the differential protein expression was detected using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis , and then , matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry ( MALDI-TOF-MS ) was applied to identify the proteins .
RESULTS	The syndrome score in the treatment group decreased significantly from 16.092.58 to 8.672.13 , while it changed insignificantly in the control group , with a significant difference in the lowering score between the two groups ( P < 0.05 ) ; the high quality rates of oocytes and embryos and clinical pregnancy rate were all superior in the treatment group to the control group ( 82.29 % vs 78.08 % , 76.76 % vs 68.79 % , 63.64 % vs 36.36 % , all P < 0.05 ) .
RESULTS	The protein expression map from the follicular fluid showed that compared with the control group , 33 differential protein expressions were found in the syndrome-control group , among which 18 were down-regulated , and 15 up-regulated ; in the treatment group 28 differential protein expressions were found , among which 15 were down-regulated , and 13 up-regulated .
RESULTS	Through MALDI-TOF-MS , 14 proteins were identified ( P < 0.05 ) .
CONCLUSIONS	For the infertility patients undergoing IVF , LDG could alleviate clinical symptoms , improve rates of high quality oocytes and embryos , so as to raise clinical pregnancy rate .
CONCLUSIONS	The mechanism may be through regulating proteome expression in the follicular fluid to improve the developmental microenvironment for oocytes which would lead to a successful embryo implantation .

