REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1661806
This article is part of the Research TopicNaturally Occurring Compounds and Their Applications in Endocrinology: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Potential and Clinical ApplicationsView all 8 articles
Research Progress on the Pathogenesis, Clinical Impact, and Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Complicated by Insulin Resistance
Provisionally accepted
- 1Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 2First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 3The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- 4First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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Abstract Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive endocrine disorders affecting women of reproductive age. Insulin resistance (IR) is both a hallmark clinical feature and a key contributor to the pathophysiology of PCOS.Currently, metformin, along with other pharmaceuticals and lifestyle modifications, constitutes the primary approach to enhancing IR in PCOS. Despite demonstrating efficacy, some individuals exhibit suboptimal responses, and prolonged usage may lead to gastrointestinal side effects and other constraints. As an important complementary alternative medicine, recent research has highlighted traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a valuable adjunctive therapy for ameliorating IR in PCOS. The integration of TCM into the management of PCOS-related IR offers diverse therapeutic avenues, warranting comprehensive categorization and analysis. Aim: This review systematically summarizes the pathogenesis and TCM interventions of IR in PCOS and its adverse clinical effects on patients at various stages. It primarily focuses on recent research findings, encompassing both animal studies and human studies, regarding the efficacy of TCM in ameliorating PCOS in conjunction with IR over the past five years. Methods: This article collects relevant literature from databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library from the establishment to 2025.The search utilized the following keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome, Insulin resistance, Polymorphism, Genetic, Epigenomics, Hyperandrogenism, Inflammation, Microbiota, Mitochondria. This review focuses on recent literature published within the last five years to maintain the research's contemporary relevance. Additionally, classical studies are incorporated to uphold the theoretical framework's integrity. Results: The current evidence indicates that TCM contributes to the management of PCOS with IR primarily through modulation of gut microbiota equilibrium, suppression of inflammatory reactions (including reduction of inflammatory cytokines), amelioration of hyperandrogenism, and modulation of insulin signaling pathways. Conclusion: This review examines current research on the treatment of PCOS complicated by IR using TCM. The findings confirm the efficacy of TCM in ameliorating IR. Discrepancies in dosages and treatment durations of TCM compounds and monomers, as well as batch-to-batch variability in TCM quality, may impact treatment efficacy.
Keywords: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Traditional Chinesemedicine, Pathogenesis, Signal pathway
Received: 08 Jul 2025; Accepted: 25 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Sun, Jin, Han, Qin, Shi and Zhang. 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: Yuehui Zhang, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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