United States: A study done and one that has recently surfaced shows that one antimalarial medicine, indigenous to China, which is recommended in traditional medicine, works effectively in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
More about the news
Artemisinin, an herbal extract from Artemisia annua, helps regulate hormone production in the ovaries, preventing the hyperproduction of testosterone. Women who used the drug for a 12-week term reported improvements in their reproductive cycles, as the Guardian reported.
This outcome resulted from a small-scale experiment by Chinese scientists and is seen as a breakthrough, potentially offering a new treatment approach for a disease affecting 10 percent of women.
What more have the experts stated?
According to Dr. Channa Jayasena, a clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the research, “It’s very rare that you get a brand new development in a really important condition, so this is big,” as the Guardian reported.
Moreover, “It’s a tremendous potential breakthrough and really welcome, as women’s health problems have not traditionally received the attention that heart disease and cancer have,” Jayasena added.
What happens in PCOS?
PCOS arises from high testosterone levels in females, disrupting ovulation and causing irregular menstrual periods and fertility problems. Insulin resistance, common in PCOS, increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. High testosterone also leads to darker skin, beards, acne, breast reduction, and prostate gland expansion.
Jayasena said, “The name [of the syndrome] makes it sound like it just affects the ovaries, which does a disservice to women,” and, “It’s a body-wide disease. You’re more likely to have obesity, heart disease, too much hair, acne, as well as irregular periods and fertility problems.”
Presently available treatments
Contemporary remedies include the contraceptive pill, which gives hormonal balance and inhibits testosterone, a hormone that, in this situation, assists in irregular periods and the ‘cosmetic’ manifestations of PCOS, the Guardian reported.
Sometimes, medications or even surgery can assist in ovulation for women facing PCOS if they are not able to conceive. However, these treatments are not permanent, have certain side effects and drawbacks, and can only be used with some patients.