Insights & Discussion
Acupuncture may impact Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome (LUFS) by lowering FSH, increasing E2, and resuming menstruation.
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the potential of acupuncture for treating Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome (LUFS) through Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). Analyzing 8 studies involving 620 participants, the review found that acupuncture, whether alone or combined with drugs, could lower follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and increase the likelihood of menstruation resumption. Serum estradiol (E2) levels significantly increased with acupuncture, while luteinizing hormone (LH) levels showed no clear changes. Limited data on adverse events (AEs) suggested acupuncture's relative safety. However, due to small sample sizes, risk of bias, and varying study methodologies, the overall evidence quality was rated as "low" or "very low." This suggests a potential benefit of acupuncture for LUFS, but further high-quality studies are necessary to establish its effectiveness and safety definitively.
Discover Related Insights
The Chinese medicine formulas Zuo Gui Wan and You Gui Wan have the potential to treat premature ovarian failure through different pharmacological pathways.
2022 Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening A Network Pharmacology Study on the Similarities and Differences in the Mechanisms of Zuo Gui Wan/You Gui Wan for the Treatment of Premature Ovarian Failure Shanshan Mei, Chaoqin Yu, Jie Ding, Wen Cheng
Network Pharmacology Ovarian Insufficiency Premature ovarian failure (POF) You Gui Wan
This study used a public database to identify the active ingredients and potential targets of the Zuo Gui Wan and You Gui Wan compounds. These were analyzed in relation to premature ovarian failure (POF) related genes obtained from OMIM and GeneCards. A protein-protein interaction network was established using STRING, and a drug-active ingredient-target gene network was constructed. The study thus identified similarities and differences in potential targets, active ingredients, and enriched pathways between the two compounds.
Analyzing the drug-target-pathway network revealed that both compounds contain multiple common active ingredients, as well as unique components, and share several targets in the treatment of POF, showing similar core mechanisms of action. However, each compound also targets some unique pathways, which indicates their differential approaches to POF treatment.
The present study indicated that acupuncture had an advantage over hormone replacement therapy in reducing serum FSH level and increasing serum E2 level in women with premature ovarian insufficiency.
2020 Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science Acupuncture for premature ovarian insufficiency: a systematic review and meta-analysis Yin, Yq., Xu, Hf., Fang, Yg. et al.
Systematic Review FSH HRT Ovarian Function
Eight eligible RCTs with a total of 496 POI patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that there was a significant reduction in the basal serum FSH level and a remarkable elevation in the basal E2 level in the acupuncture group when compared with the control. Subgroup analysis showed that compared with HRT, a significant decrease in the FSH level was observed in both acupuncture alone and acupuncture plus HRT, while a remarkable elevation of E2 was only found in acupuncture plus HRT. There was no significant difference in the LH level between acupuncture and HRT, only one trial reported AMH, and no significant difference was found between acupuncture and HRT.
In a meta-analysis of 14 trials with 1030 women, acupoint stimulation and Chinese Herbal Medicine were effective in improving menstrual cycles, perimenopausal symptoms, and sex hormone levels in comparison to Hormone Replacement Therapy.
2020 Complementary Therapies in Medicine Acupoint stimulation and Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency: A systematic review and meta-analysis Li Y, Xia G, Tan Y, Shuai J
Systematic Review Chinese Herbal Medicine Ovarian Insufficiency
In a meta-analysis involving 14 trials with 1030 women experiencing Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), acupoint stimulation and Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) were found to offer benefits in normalizing menstrual cycles and improving perimenopausal symptoms, compared to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). These treatments also effectively lowered follicle stimulating hormone levels and increased estradiol levels when compared to HRT. However, there were no significant differences in luteinizing hormone levels or adverse effects between the groups. The conclusion of the study is that acupoint stimulation and CHM can be considered complementary therapies for alleviating menstrual disorders, perimenopausal symptoms, and serum sex hormone levels in POI females.