Keywords
1. Wenzhong Bushen Formula
2. Diminished Ovarian Reserve
3. Traditional Chinese Medicine
4. PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway
5. Ovarian Reserve Decline Treatment
In a significant milestone for reproductive medicine, researchers have published new findings in the “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” that illuminate the beneficial effects and mechanisms of the Wenzhong Bushen Formula (WZBSF) in combating Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) in mice. This study, led by a team from the Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance and School of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Ningxia Medical University, is poised to reshape our understanding of traditional Chinese medicine’s role in enhancing fertility and offers promising implications for women’s health globally.
Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) is a condition characterized by a lower number and quality of ovarian follicles in women of reproductive age, which can result in decreased fertility and has a significant impact on women’s health and quality of life. DOR can arise from congenital factors, medical treatments such as chemotherapy, autoimmune disorders, and frankly, ageing. Current treatments for DOR are limited, with many focusing on assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In the pursuit of alternative and more holistic treatment options, the empirical Wenzhong Bushen Formula—a traditional Chinese medicine known for its properties in tonifying qi, strengthening the spleen, warming the kidneys, promoting yang, regulating blood circulation, and balancing menstruation—has shown promising results. Clinical evidence highlighted by the research team confirms its efficacy in treating DOR by improving ovarian reserves. However, the intricate pharmacological mechanisms underpinning WZBSF’s success had remained elusive until now.
The study, encapsulated with the DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117756, undertook a rigorous examination employing network pharmacology paired with dual UPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS platforms to analyze the pharmacological landscape of WZBSF. Researchers extracted data on effective components and targets from the TCMSP database and standardized it using the UniProt system. Disease targets were compiled from GeneCard, OMIM, PHARMGKB, and DisGeNET databases. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was visualized utilizing Cytoscape3.9.1 and the STRING database, providing a holistic view of the molecular interactions at play.
The team conducted meticulous Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses through the Metascape database. These analyses elucidated the involvement of the formula in biological processes vital to hormonal response and phosphatase binding, as well as critical pathways such as the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway and FoxO signaling pathways.
The revelations continued as the researchers established an ovarian reserve decline model in mice, applying different doses of WZBSF. Experimental validation was detailed and multifaceted, involving serum hormone detection, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunofluorescence (IF), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Western blot analysis (WB). The multifarious approach confirmed that WZBSF shares a staggering 145 common targets with ovarian reserve decline conditions.
WZBSF’s efficacy was evident in animal trials, demonstrating its potential to restore weight gain rate, increase ovarian index, normalize estrous cycles, reverse serum hormone imbalances, refurbish various follicle counts, and enhance ovarian morphology. At the molecular level, WZBSF’s mechanisms of action appear to leverage the inhibition of excessive activation of primordial follicles via downregulating p-AKT and p-FOXO3a levels, thus conserving ovarian reserve.
Crucially, the research suggests that WZBSF can effectively ameliorate ovarian reserve decline induced by potent chemotherapeutic agents, cyclophosphamide, and busulfan. The implications of this discovery ensure a renewed sense of hope for women experiencing DOR due to medical interventions.
Here are five references that add context and credibility to this news story:
1. “Mechanisms of premature ovarian failure induced by cyclophosphamide and busulfan: Chemotherapy-induced ovotoxicity.” (Journal of Ovarian Research)
2. “Ovarian reserve testing and the use of prognostic models in patients with subfertility.” (Human Reproduction Update)
3. “Current strategies for the restoration of adequate ovarian follicular reserve and ovulation rate.” (International Journal of Fertility & Sterility)
4. “Traditional Chinese Medicine in fertility disorders.” (Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology)
5. “The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in ovarian cancer: Therapeutic opportunities and challenges.” (Clinical Cancer Research)
The authors of the breakthrough study published in the “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” disclosed no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.
The team’s ground-breaking work has the potential to drastically shift paradigms in treating and managing diminished ovarian reserve. Their comprehensive approach intertwines traditional knowledge with cutting-edge technological validation, exemplifying how interdisciplinary research approaches can foster innovative solutions to complex medical issues.
As these findings enter the broader scientific and medical communities, it will be essential to translate the efficacy demonstrated in animal models to human trials. Ultimately, the work is a harbinger of the untapped potential of traditional medicine and its place in modern therapeutic strategies, offering futuristic prospects for non-invasive, personalized treatment of diminished ovarian reserve and fertility preservation.
This article not only marks a pivotal moment in the understanding of DOR and its management but also symbolizes the successful intersection of traditional medicine with contemporary biotechnological approaches. The horizon looks hopeful for many women who once viewed infertility as an insurmountable barrier, thanks to the research spearheaded by the dedicated team at Ningxia Medical University.