REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1546041
Targeting Programmed Cell Death with Natural Products: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Fertility Preservation
Provisionally accepted
- 1Guanghua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- 2Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- 3Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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The depletion of ovarian reserve is a major factor contributing to the decline in female fertility. It is tcharacterized by a simultaneous reduction in the quantity and quality of oocytes and the follicular pools. The cyclic recruitment of primordial follicles and the preservation of oocyte quality involve complex and tightly regulated biological processes. Granulosa cells, which surround the oocytes, play a pivotal role in follicular development and the determination of follicular fate. Programmed cell death (PCD), a genetically regulated process of cell elimination, is a key factor in the regulation of ovarian reserve dynamics. Emerging evidence suggests that natural products derived from medicinal plants, dietary components, animals, and microorganisms may modulate PCD in granulosa cells through various molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways. These natural products have demonstrated preliminary effects in delaying ovarian aging and preserving ovarian reserve in preclinical models. This review discusses the roles and underlying mechanisms of various forms of PCD in diminished ovarian reserve, while summarizing the current findings on natural products that influence granulosa cells PCD to protect ovarian function. These insights may contribute to the future development of novel, targeted strategies aimed at preserving female reproductive potential.
Keywords: programmed cell death, Natural Products, diminished ovarian reserve, Female fertility, IVF
Received: 16 Dec 2024; Accepted: 13 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ju, Zhao, Li, Zhang, Xiang and Lian. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Fang Lian, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, Shandong Province, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.