Herbal treatment effective for management of PCOS: Study
Pakistan: A recent study in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences has shown the effectiveness of herbal treatment for patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and menstrual irregularities. According to the study, the herbal medicine Femitex-SP4 can be used for PCOS treatment.
PCOS is a hormonal disorder characterized by abnormal production of androgens by ovaries and affects about fifteen percent of women of reproductive age. Despite this, there is no availability of any standard therapy. Considering this, Sumira Ishaq, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan, and colleagues aimed to assess herbal medicine (Femitex-SP4) for the management of PCOS. The study was carried out at Abbasi Shaheed hospital, Karachi, Pakistan during 2016-2017.
The study included a total of 150 patients aged between 18-44 years. Patients received 500 mg of powdered herbs in capsule form twice daily.
The primary outcomes were regular menstruation and ovulation plus a change in fasting blood sugar levels. Changes in free testosterone levels and ovarian morphology were secondary outcome measures.
Based on the study, the researchers found the following:
- Women's menstrual cycle was considerably improved. Fasting blood sugar levels did not change.
- Progesterone levels were the same at the starting point and after treatment.
- With the complete recovery in 6 patients; a notable change was found in ovarian size.
- Free testosterone levels were also dropped significantly.
- The main success was a drastic improvement in normalizing the menstrual cycle during therapy.
Ishaq and the team concluded, "Herbal treatment is proven to be clinically effective in most of the patients; particularly PCOs patients with menstrual irregularities. Hence, Femitex-SP4 can be taken as a better treatment for PCOs."
Reference:
Ishaq S, H Rizwani G, Shareef H, Fatima S, Anser H, Sarfraz S. A herbal treatment approach for the management of clinical, hormonal and ultrasound parameters in reproductive age group women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: A randomized clinical trial. Pak J Pharm Sci. 2021 May;34(3(Supplementary)):1097-1102. PMID: 34602438.
