A review on role of medicinal plants in polycystic ovarian syndrome: Pathophysiology, neuroendocrine signaling, therapeutic status and future prospects

• Main Authors: Zahra Abasian, Ayoob Rostamzadeh, Mohsen Mohammadi, Masih Hosseini, Mahmoud Rafieian-kopaei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2018-12-01
• Series: Middle East Fertility Society Journal
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110569018300700

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most important gynecological disorders among reproductive-age women. In patients with PCOS, the secretion rate and metabolism of androgens and estrogens are disrupted. With regards to the increasing prevalence of PCOS and associated physical and mental problems as well as the effects of changes in sex hormones in development of this disease, our aim is to investigate the effects of different herbal extracts on changes in the serum levels of sex hormones and ovarian tissue. To conduct this review, an extensive literature search was conducted using, relevant publications published between 1990 and 2017, and indexed in Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Scientific Information Database, and Science Direct were studied. The search terms used to retrieve the publications were as follows: Herbal medical extract، Names of medicinal plants ، polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS, the mechanism of hormone. According to the evidence, herbal extracts containing phytoestrogens cause decrease in hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and ovary weight as well as increase in ovulation. Therefore, these plants can be partly effective in this syndrome via affecting the serum levels of different hormones and ovarian weight and morphology, representing an opportunity to investigate and discovery new bioactive products. Keywords: Medical herbs, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Sex hormones, Fertility