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Review
. 2019 Dec;27(2):863-877.
doi: 10.1007/s40199-019-00312-0. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

A comprehensive review of clinical studies with herbal medicine on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Arezoo Moini Jazani  1   2 , Hamidreza Nasimi Doost Azgomi  3 , Alireza Nasimi Doost Azgomi  3 , Ramin Nasimi Doost Azgomi  4   5
Affiliations
Review

A comprehensive review of clinical studies with herbal medicine on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Arezoo Moini Jazani et al. Daru. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent medical condition characterized by both metabolic and reproductive disorders. Different pharmaceutical treatments have been proposed for PCOS. However, side effects of long-term treatments and their probable low efficacy have made complementary and alternative treatments a valuable option. Recent reports have indicated the increased use of complementary treatments. Herbal medicine, as part of complementary medicine, was find introduced in traditional Persian and Chinese medicine. Medicinal herbs have used for a long time in the treatment of gynecological and infertility problems of PCOS patients. In this study, we aimed to review herbal medicines used for PCOS worldwide.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched for clinical trials and Randomized Controlled Trials based on related keywords. Data were collected from 1990 to 2019.

Results: According to a multitude of studies, a wide spectrum of herbs can be used to improve various aspects of PCOS. Herbs such as Cinnamomum verum, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., and Vitex agnus-castus can impact on menstrual and ovulatory dysfunctions, obesity, insulin resistance, lipid-metabolism dysfunction, and androgen excess-related conditions.

Conclusion: Some plants as natural remedies may have beneficial effects on improving different aspects of PCOS; but further studies are needed to investigate their mechanisms and safety.

Keywords: Complementary medicine; Herbal medicine; PCOS; Polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest or financial relationships.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the study selection process
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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