Table 3 Herbal medicines with clinical evidence not included in this review
Herbal medicine | Clinical evidence (or potential) for PCOS and associated oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism | Reason for non-inclusion – insufficient pre-clinical evidence for mechanism of effects for whole herbal extract |
|---|---|---|
Camellia sinensis (green tea) | Hormone concentration in obese women with PCOS [71]. | Isolated constituent (epigallocatechin gallate 1) examined [72]. No evidence found for effects for whole herbal extract in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism. |
Mentha spicata (spearmint tea) | No evidence for mechanism of effect found for PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism. | |
Ginkgo Biloba (ginkgo) | Metabolic hormone management for type two diabetes [75]. | No evidence for mechanism of effect in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism found. |
Grifola frondosa (miatake mushroom) | Ovulation rates in PCOS [76]. | No evidence for mechanism of effect in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or PCOS revealed. |
Linum usitatissimum (flax seed) | Menstrual regulation [77, 78] and hormonal concentration [78–80] in post-menopausal women. | No mechanism of effect in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism found. |
Pygeum africanum (pygeum) | Anti-androgen effects in prostatic hypertrophy [81]. | No evidence for mechanism of effect found in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism (in female cell cultures or animals). |
Serrenoa repens (saw palmetto) | Anti-androgen effects in chronic pelvic pain and prostatitis [82–84]. | No mechanism of effect in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism (in female cell cultures or animals). |
Silybum marianum (St Mary’s thistle) | Fatty liver disease in type two diabetes [85]. | No mechanism of effect in PCOS, oligo/amenorrhoea or hyperandrogenism. |
Stachys lavandulifolia (wood betony) | Evidence for improved uterine bleeding (including oligomenorrhoea and amenorrhoea) in women with PCOS comparable with Medroxyprogesterone acetate [86]. | No mechanism of effect studies found for whole herbal extract in PCOS and or associated oligo/amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism. |
Urtica dioca (nettle root) | Anti-androgen effects in women [87]. | Anti-androgen effects through interaction with SHBG in prostate cells [88–90]. Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects [91] No evidence for effects of Urtica dioca in female cell cultures or animals. |