PCOS is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting 6% to 10% of women of childbearing age. It mainly manifests as hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, ovulatory dysfunction and polycystic ovary changes, leading to anovulation. The main cause of sexual infertility. The cause of PCOS remains unclear, and its pathophysiology and internal mechanisms are complex.
Currently, treatments for PCOS primarily focus on managing symptoms rather than treating the disease itself. Treatment methods vary according to patient needs and specific conditions, and are mainly aimed at relieving clinical symptoms and solving fertility problems. For example, the aromatase inhibitor letrozole promotes ovulation but has no obvious effect on high insulin. Therefore, developing new treatment strategies may lead to better treatment outcomes and fewer side effects for PCOS patients.
Motherwort has long been widely used in China and other Asian countries to relieve gynecological conditions characterized by estrogen imbalance. As one of the most commonly used single herbs for the treatment of PCOS, studies have proven that it can significantly increase the cure rate, improve serum levels of inflammatory factors and related factors, and produce fewer adverse reactions in PCOS patients treated with clomiphene. However, the chemical composition and underlying mechanisms by which this herbal plant displays beneficial effects on gynecological conditions are not fully understood.
The research team found through studies that luteolin and its analog luteolin-7-methyl ether in motherwort can effectively inhibit the biosynthesis of estrogen induced by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in human ovarian granulosa cells. This The effect is achieved by reducing the expression of aromatase mediated by cAMP response element binding protein (CREB).
The study also found for the first time that tumor progression locus 2 (TPL2) is involved in regulating estrogen biosynthesis mediated by aromatase, and luteolin and luteolin-7-methyl ether directly act on cells TPL2 inhibits mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3/6 (MKK3/6)-p38 MAPK-CREB pathway signaling, thereby reducing aromatase expression and estrogen biosynthesis in ovarian granulosa cells.
In addition, luteolin and luteolin-7-methyl ether can effectively alleviate symptoms in PCOS mice, reduce androgen levels, reduce the number of cystic follicles, reduce insulin levels and promote ovulation. These findings suggest that luteolin and luteolin-7-methyl ether have the potential to become novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of PCOS.
