Research progress on the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in improving premature ovarian insufficiency
- VernacularTitle:中药改善早发性卵巢功能不全的作用机制研究进展
- Author:
Yinxiang SUN
1
;
Guijian TAN
2
;
Wenlong YU
2
;
Bingxue SU
2
;
Jiangming CHEN
2
;
Yongjun CAO
3
;
Yizhun ZHU
4
Author Information
1. School of Pharmacy，Macau University of Science and Technology，Macao 999078，China;National Drug Clinical Trial Institution Office，Zhuhai People’s Hospital/the First Affiliated Hospital of Faculty of Medicine Macau University of Science and Technology，Guangdong Zhuhai 519000，China
2. National Drug Clinical Trial Institution Office，Zhuhai People’s Hospital/the First Affiliated Hospital of Faculty of Medicine Macau University of Science and Technology，Guangdong Zhuhai 519000，China;Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University，Guangdong Zhuhai 519041，China
3. Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University，Guangdong Zhuhai 519041，China
4. School of Pharmacy，Macau University of Science and Technology，Macao 999078，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
premature ovarian insufficiency;
premature ovarian failure;
traditional Chinese medicine;
monomer;
compound formulas;
mechanism
- From:
China Pharmacy
2026;37(12):1641-1647
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Premature ovarian insufficiency （POI） is a reproductive endocrine disorder that severely affects female reproductive health. However， there remains a lack of clinically effective and safe therapeutic options to restore ovarian function. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its advantages of multi-component and multi-target holistic regulation， has shown unique potential in the prevention and treatment of POI. Among TCM monomers， curcumin， resveratrol， and icariin exert antioxidant， anti-inflammatory， and anti-ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis effects by regulating signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1， phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B， and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Single TCM herbs， including American ginseng， Cuscutae Semen， and Cistanches Herba， can regulate sex hormone levels， and alleviate ovarian oxidative stress and immune damage. TCM compound formulas such as Yijing decoction， Siwu decoction， Zuogui pill， and Kuntai capsule modulate multiple signaling pathways， including vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2， phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin， and silence information regulator 1/p53， thereby promoting angiogenesis， inhibiting mitochondrial apoptosis， and regulating autophagy and ferroptosis， which ultimately delay follicular atresia and improve ovarian reserve function. Further studies are suggested to apply artificial intelligence to deeply explore the underlying mechanisms and carry out high-quality clinical trials， so as to promote the standardized application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of POI.
