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A chemical compound used to care for malaria could potentially alleviate symptoms ofpolycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS ) , a pocket-size study in humankind and research laboratory creature finds .
PCOS is a hormonal disorder characterized by eminent layer of manful hormones bid androgens . These noble-minded androgen horizontal surface do a chain of symptoms , such as irregular catamenial cycles , undue hair growth and acne . Complications of the condition admit infertility and metabolic problems , includinginsulin resistance , which raise the risk of infection oftype 2 diabetes .
An existing drug that treats malaria may also be effective against PCOS, a study finds.
Although PCOS affects10 % to 13 % of reproductive - eld women , researchers do n’t completely understand the condition ’s root word crusade . It remains difficult to name and treat , and the available intervention — such as birth control pills and origin - sugar - control drugs — address only symptom of the condition .
Now , a fresh study has shown that an antimalarial drug calledartemisininmay allay some symptom of PCOS , potentially by turn to its root case .
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The result , published June 14 in the journalScience , show that artemisinin and its derivatives importantly improved PCOS symptoms , such as irregular hormonal cycle , in both humanity and rodents .
For the study , the research team enrolled 19 human participants with symptoms of PCOS , including unorthodox flow and excess degree of testosterone . Ultrasound also revealed that they had enlargedovarieswith multiple fluid - fill sacs on them ; these " follicle cyst " are seen in some , but not all , people with PCOS .
The participants took a derivative of artemisinin by mouth three multiplication a day for three months . There was no mathematical group that got aplacebodrug , for comparison , so that ’s one limit of the report .
The treatment , which had no reported side outcome , appear to glower the testosterone levels in all the participants . In most participants , grade ofanti - Müllerian hormone — which the ovary make too much of in PCOS — also fell .
These hormone change coincided with a lower issue of cyst , less expansion of the ovaries , and more - even menstrual cycles in most participant .
The findings paint a picture that artemisinin is a potential efficacious discourse for PCOS , saidAnna Benrick , a physiologist at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden who was not involve in the research .
However , the study was limited in that it include only a small group of people , and for now , it ’s indecipherable whether artemisinin relieve additional PCOS symptoms , such as the metabolic issues , Benrick told Live Science in an e-mail .
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To badger out how artemisinin might treat PCOS , the researchers look to rodents . They found that , in the ovaries of mouse and rats , the drug break down an enzyme called CYP11A1 , which is key for constitute androgens . This belike prevents the excess yield of androgenic hormone that drives most PCOS symptoms .
" Because elevated testosterone is one of the master features and grounds of most PCOS - related symptoms and comorbidities , treatment target at reducing androgen production is a rational butt , " Benrick say . Artemisinin " represents a promising new approach path to lowering those androgens , " she said .
However , the beast models were not optimal for studying the metabolic disfunction see in PCOS , she summate . Studying that in different animal models could give a more complete picture of how well the drug treat the condition .
Future studies could also look at how treat computer mouse moms with artemisinin affects their offspring , since daughters of mothers with PCOS have a enhance risk of the condition , Benrick suppose . This is likely due to androgen photo in the uterus , so it would be interesting to see if , by lowering androgens , artemisinin could help prevent PCOS in future generations .
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