scholarly journals The Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Clinical Application and Mechanism

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Li-Yan Jia ◽  
Jia-Xing Feng ◽  
Juan-Li Li ◽  
Fang-Yuan Liu ◽  
Liang-zhen Xie ◽  
...  

As a reproductive endocrine disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has influenced billions of women during childbearing age worldwide. Owing to its complex etiology and ambiguous pathogenesis, there is still not a specific method to cure it. Clinical treatments, such as hormone therapy and surgical treatment, have side effects. Therefore, it is essential and urgent to seek alternative treatment to solve these problems. The satisfactory efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), immunotherapy, medicinal foods, vitamin therapy, diet therapy, psychotherapy, spa, and oxygen therapy, in treating PCOS, has aroused an increasing number of medical workers’ concern and gradually become the mainstream. This paper reviews the application of CAM in the treatment of PCOS, especially from the perspective of TCM. Meanwhile, the limitations of the literature about CAM in the treatment of PCOS are mentioned and analyzed as well.

2021 ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
Е. А. Kyrylenko

Abstract. The purpose of this article was to convey information about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), to reveal the information about the diagnosis of this syndrome and methods of treatment under various circumstances and reproductive plans. PCOS is now being diagnosed very often. However, frequently this is performed only on the basis of ultrasound diagnostics of the pelvic organs, which is not entirely correct. The picture of multi-follicular ovaries is just one of the symptoms of this syndrome, which may also indicate the presence of other disorders in the body. This is the main reason why the wrong treatment is prescribed. After all, the wrong diagnosis is the key to the wrong treatment. It is important to understand that even with true PCOS, the most important thing is a woman's reproductive plans. When a woman has reproductive plans, COC therapy is out of the question. The realities of today are such that everyone needs to understand at least a little bit about the anatomy and physiology of their own body. This helps a lot to avoid misdiagnosis and, as a result, incorrect treatment, and also speeds up the search for the true cause of the problem. If misdiagnosed, the underlying problem is ignored, which can serve as a trigger for its aggravation and, as a result, its symptoms. That is why everyone in our time needs to understand everything about it. So, for example, few people understand such things as: what is the menstrual cycle, how it should take place, what is its normal duration, what is the rate of discharge and in what periods of the menstrual cycle, is the pain normal at one time or another, and so on. Very often doctors of the old school prescribe, for example, COCs. Most importantly, this is often unnecessary. Also, in our society, after completing the COC course, the concept of "cancellation effect" was formed, which is not true. Evidence-based medicine believes that eggs have several stages of growth and development, and only one of them is regulated by hormones. The rest of the stages proceed continuously and without stopping, and no exogenous or endogenous hormones can stop this. That is, the eggs always die regardless of whether you take COCs or not - this is an axiom. No method is able to prolong the childbearing age, since the ovarian reserve ends, it stops. The only thing that can save eggs is cryo-freezing. This method can be a solution for those who want to have their own children, but at the moment, for one reason or another, fertilization does not occur. Yes, not all diseases can be cured, but even with those that are incurable, you need to learn to live and adapt, remove their manifestations and, if possible, reduce discomfort. Even in the absence of complete recovery from a particular disease, it is necessary to understand that there are methods of physical therapy, diet and conventional drug therapy that can partially improve the condition. Recently, diet therapy has been actively discussed, namely the presence of a complete, balanced and rational diet for all, without exception. In recent decades, fractional nutrition has shown its effectiveness. A balanced fractional nutrition allows you to provide the body with a sufficient amount of energy, to normalize the intestines, to ensure the normal functioning of the hormonal and nervous systems, etc. What is PCOS and the main health problems in women associated with this syndrome? Can true PCOS be completely cured? The correct and complete diagnosis of PCOS and the main nuances of its "treatment" are offered.  


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Yuehui Zhang ◽  
Xiaozhu Guo ◽  
Shuting Ma ◽  
Haoyue Ma ◽  
Hang Li ◽  
...  

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent gynecological female endocrinopathy, characterized by chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance (IR). Menstrual disorders are one of the main clinical manifestations of PCOS. Other symptoms include hirsutism and/acne. At present, the treatment of PCOS with irregular menstruation is mainly based on oral contraceptives, but there are some side effects and adverse reactions. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which has been widely used in clinical practice. Modern Western medicine is called “conventional medicine” or “orthodox medicine,” and the complementary and alternative medicine is called “unconventional medicine” or “unorthodox medicine.” CAM includes traditional medicine and folk therapy around the world. Around 65–80% of world health management business is classified into traditional medicine by the World Health Organization, which is used as alternative medicine in Western countries. In our country, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and other therapies are commonly used due to their significant efficacy and higher safety. Therefore, this review aims to summarize and evaluate the mechanisms and the effect of current complementary replacement therapy in the treatment of menstrual disorders caused by PCOS, so as to provide guidance for the following basic and clinical research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sairish Ashraf ◽  
Shayaq Ul Abeer Rasool ◽  
Mudasar Nabi ◽  
Mohd Ashraf Ganie ◽  
Shariq R. Masoodi ◽  
...  

AbstractPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive endocrine disorder in pre-menopausal women having complex pathophysiology. Several candidate genes have been shown to have association with PCOS. CYP19 gene encodes a key steroidogenic enzyme involved in conversion of androgens into estrogens. Previous studies have reported contradictory results with regard to association of SNP rs2414096 in CYP19 gene with PCOS and hyperandrogenism in different ethnic populations. Present study was aimed to investigate the impact of SNP rs2414096 polymorphism of CYP19 gene on susceptibility of PCOS and hyperandrogenism in Kashmiri women. Further we also studied the genotypic-phenotypic association for various clinical and biochemical parameters of this polymorphism. Case control study. 394 PCOS cases diagnosed on the basis of Rotterdam criteria and age matched 306 healthy women. We found a significant differences in genotypic frequency (χ2 = 18.91, p < 0.05) as well as allele frequency (OR 0.63, CI 0.51–0.78, χ2 = 17.66, p < 0.05) between PCOS women and controls. The genotype–phenotype correlation analysis showed a significant difference in FG score (p = 0.047) and alopecia (p = 0.045) between the three genotypes. Also, the androgen excess markers like DHEAS (p < 0.001), Androstenedione (p < 0.001), Testosterone (p < 0.001) and FAI (p = 0.005) were significantly elevated in GG genotype and showed a significant difference in additive model in PCOS women. rs2414096 polymorphism of CYP19 gene is associated with the risk of PCOS as well as with clinical and biochemical markers of hyperandrogenism, hence suggesting its role in clinical manifestations of PCOS in Kashmiri women.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coutinho ◽  
Kauffman

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder, affecting at least 10% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is typically characterized by the presence of at least two of the three cardinal features of hyperandrogenemia (high circulating androgen levels), oligo- or anovulation, and cystic ovaries. Hyperandrogenemia increases the severity of the condition and is driven by increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse secretion from the pituitary. Indeed, PCOS women display both elevated mean LH levels, as well as an elevated frequency of LH pulsatile secretion. The abnormally high LH pulse frequency, reflective of a hyperactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neural circuit, suggests a neuroendocrine basis to either the etiology or phenotype of PCOS. Several studies in preclinical animal models of PCOS have demonstrated alterations in GnRH neurons and their upstream afferent neuronal circuits. Some rodent PCOS models have demonstrated an increase in GnRH neuron activity that correlates with an increase in stimulatory GABAergic innervation and postsynaptic currents onto GnRH neurons. Additional studies have identified robust increases in hypothalamic levels of kisspeptin, another potent stimulator of GnRH neurons. This review outlines the different brain and neuroendocrine changes in the reproductive axis observed in PCOS animal models, discusses how they might contribute to either the etiology or adult phenotype of PCOS, and considers parallel findings in PCOS women.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binayak Sinha ◽  
Sami Ghosal

Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy among women of childbearing age and is associated with multiple morbidities. However, treatment for this condition is mainly applied for symptomatic relief and does not address the complex pathophysiology of this condition. This meta-analysis was conducted on the usage of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) in PCOS because this group of drugs presents an attractive strategy to address the metabolic and hormonal defects by managing the pathophysiological defects observed in this syndrome. Methods We included prospective trials that enrolled patients with established PCOS and compared an SGLT-2i group versus a control group with at least 2 weeks of follow-up. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used for effect size estimation from individual studies and was pooled using the fixed effect model. Results We included four trials with a pooled population of 158 patients with documented PCOS who received either an SGLT-2i or standard management. From a metabolic perspective, significant improvements were observed in the reduction in body weight (SMD: -0.68, 95% CI -1.16 to -0.19, < 0.01), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (SMD: -0.59, 95% CI -0.99 to -0.19, P < 0.01), and insulin resistance as assessed with the HOMA-IR (SMD: -0.39, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.03, P = 0.03). In addition, a significant improvement was noted in dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels (SMD: -0.55, 95% CI -0.94 to -0.16, P < 0.01). Conclusion SGLT-2i use is associated with salutary outcomes of metabolic and anthropometric markers of PCOS and likely favourable hormonal effects.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-341
Author(s):  
Adrian NEACȘU ◽  
◽  
Cătălina Diana STĂNICĂ ◽  
Constantin Dimitrie NANU ◽  
◽  
...  

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and heterogeneous dysfunction, characterized by chronic anovulation and androgen excess, affecting 6-10% of women of childbearing age. It is the most common cause of anovulatory infertility. It seems that the key element in the pathophysiology of PCOS is increased insulin resistance. The correction of infertility in teens is not a priority. They can receive treatment to normalize menstrual cycles, with the reduction of symptoms and improvement of metabolic disorders. Many overweight teens have increased insulinemia, which may play a role in the development of PCOS. Standard treatment is oral estroprogestative, used to perform regular menstrual cycles. Normalize menstrual cycles can be done with oral contraceptives or oral antidiabetic agents that improve metabolic dysfunctions. An adjuvant approach of the utmost importance for teens is lifestyle modification and diet. Teen treatment should be individualized depending on a number of peculiarities that have to be taken into account: menstruation disorders, mastopathies and ovarian dystrophies, hyperandrogenism syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases and other associated disorders. In obese women with PCOS, weight loss improves hyperandrogenism, reduces metabolic disturbances, reduces insulin resistance and insulinemia, improves fertility rate, stimulates ovulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Wenjuan Shen ◽  
Bao Jin ◽  
Yujia Pan ◽  
Yanhua Han ◽  
Tianjiao You ◽  
...  

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a touchy clinical and public health problem worldwide, which adversely affects women’s health and health-related comorbidities for lifetime, and represents a tremendous burden for both the family of the patient and for society. According to the diagnostic criteria used and the population studied, the prevalence rate of PCOS is between 6% and 21%. However, current conventional modern medicines for PCOS are only moderately effective at controlling the signs and symptoms, while they are not thoroughly able to prevent complications. Therefore, many patients have turned to complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments. CAM use is wide spread among patients with PCOS, and more than 70% of patients use CAM at one point during their diseases. The patients’ primary motivations include dissatisfaction with available medications, perceive higher risk of drug side effects and crushing health burden and economic costs, desire for symptom relief, pursuit of shortening the course of disease, and the belief that CAM therapy is in accordance with the patients’ values and beliefs. At present, several CAM methods have been used in women with PCOS, which has achieved obvious effects. However, biologically plausible mechanisms of the action of traditional Chinese medicine- (TCM-) associated CAM for PCOS have not been systematically reviewed. This review briefly summarizes the current progress of the impact of herbal medicine on the outcomes of PCOS and introduces the mechanisms.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (16) ◽  
pp. E3334-E3343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee S. L. Caldwell ◽  
Melissa C. Edwards ◽  
Reena Desai ◽  
Mark Jimenez ◽  
Robert B. Gilchrist ◽  
...  

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal disorder characterized by reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic abnormalities. As the origins of PCOS remain unknown, mechanism-based treatments are not feasible and current management relies on treatment of symptoms. Hyperandrogenism is the most consistent PCOS characteristic; however, it is unclear whether androgen excess, which is treatable, is a cause or a consequence of PCOS. As androgens mediate their actions via the androgen receptor (AR), we combined a mouse model of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced PCOS with global and cell-specific AR-resistant (ARKO) mice to investigate the locus of androgen actions that mediate the development of the PCOS phenotype. Global loss of the AR reveals that AR signaling is required for all DHT-induced features of PCOS. Neuron-specific AR signaling was required for the development of dysfunctional ovulation, classic polycystic ovaries, reduced large antral follicle health, and several metabolic traits including obesity and dyslipidemia. In addition, ovariectomized ARKO hosts with wild-type ovary transplants displayed normal estrous cycles and corpora lutea, despite DHT treatment, implying extraovarian and not intraovarian AR actions are key loci of androgen action in generating the PCOS phenotype. These findings provide strong evidence that neuroendocrine genomic AR signaling is an important extraovarian mediator in the development of PCOS traits. Thus, targeting AR-driven mechanisms that initiate PCOS is a promising strategy for the development of novel treatments for PCOS.


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