الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was carried out to estimate the ghrelin-like effects induced by feed restriction and Syzygium aromaticum (clove) supplementation on reproductive system of female Sprague dawley rats during estrous cycle and pregnancy. In the 1st experiment (estrous experiment): seventy-two adult female Sprague dawley rats were equally divided into 4 groups: control group was fed on a standard ration (15g/animal/day), feed restricted group fed on (7.5g/animal/day) and two clove-supplemented groups were fed on a standard ration to which clove powder was added at a rate (15 and 30 mg/kg animal/day), respectively. In the 2nd experiment (pregnancy experiment): one-hundred adult female pregnant Sprague dawley rats equally divided into 5 groups: control group fed on a standard ration fed on a standard ration (15g/animal/day) then increased to (20g/animal/day) from the 14th day of gestation, feed restricted group received 50% of the daily standard ration, two clove-supplemented groups were fed on standard ration to which clove powder was added at a rate (15 and 30 mg/kg animal/day), respectively and the last 5th control feed restricted group received standard ration before the pregnancy and 50% of the daily standard ration after induction of pregnancy. The results revealed that feed restriction decreased body weight while dietary clove increased body weight. Both feed restriction and clove supplementation stimulated the secretion of endogenous ghrelin which was negatively reflected on reproductive hormones (estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and consequently resulted in irregularity of estrous cycle of feed restricted animals and ended by a persistent diestrus in the 1st experiment, decrease in pregnancy percentage, increase in resorbed sites and pre-implantation sites as well as decrease in fetal weights and lengths in the 2nd experiment. In addition, q-RT PCR showed a significant increase in the gastric ghrelin expression of feed restricted and clove supplemented rats and a significant decrease in the ovarian ghrelin expression during estrus cycle and pregnancy.