Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility

Ju-feng Xia; Yoshinori Inagaki; Jian-feng Zhang; Ling Wang; Pei-pei Song

doi:10.1007/s11655-016-2510-5

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility

Updated：2021-08-27

- Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility
- Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Vol. 23, Issue 4, Pages: 245-252(2017)
- Affiliations：
  
  1. Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo,Tokyo,Japan
  2. Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital & Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College,Shanghai,China
  3. Academy of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Mordern Medicine of Fudan University,Shanghai,China
  4. Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa,shi,Japan
- Author bio：
- Funds：
  
  Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31571196, No. 30801502), the Municipal Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai, China (Medical Guidance Technology Project No. 15401932200), a FY2008 JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers (P08471), the Shanghai Pujiang Program (No. 11PJ1401900), the Development Project of Shanghai Peak Disciplines-Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (No. 20150407)
- DOI：10.1007/s11655-016-2510-5
  CLC：
- Published：2017，
  
  Published Online：2 August 2016，
Scan for full text
Xia, Jf., Inagaki, Y., Zhang, Jf. et al. Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility., Chin. J. Integr. Med. 23, 245–252 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2510-5

Ju-feng Xia, Yoshinori Inagaki, Jian-feng Zhang, et al. Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility. [J]. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine 23(4):245-252(2017)
Xia, Jf., Inagaki, Y., Zhang, Jf. et al. Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility., Chin. J. Integr. Med. 23, 245–252 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2510-5 DOI：

Ju-feng Xia, Yoshinori Inagaki, Jian-feng Zhang, et al. Chinese medicine as complementary therapy for female infertility. [J]. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine 23(4):245-252(2017) DOI： 10.1007/s11655-016-2510-5.

摘要

Chinese medicine (CM) has been used in clinical treatment for thousands of years in China

Japan

Korea

and other countries. CM is at present attracting many attentions around the world for reproductive health care and disease prevention

including treatment of female infertility. This review focuses on the CM treatment for female infertility patients

and supplies a summary on the efficacy

safety

and mechanism of some Chinese herbal medicines

herbal medicine-derived active compounds

and acupuncture. A large number of researches have reported that CM could alleviate or even cure female infertility by regulating hormone

improving reproductive outcome of in vivo fertilization

affecting embryonic implantation

curing polycystic ovarian syndrome

endometriosis

pelvic inflammatory disease

relieving mental stress

and regulating immune system. Meanwhile

a few studies claimed that there was little adverse reaction of CM in randomized controlled trials. However

up to present there is a lack of adequate evidences with molecular mechanistic researches and randomized controlled trials to prove the CM as an effective and safe treatment for infertility. Thus

utility of CM as a complementary medicine will be a feasible method to improve the outcome of female infertility treatment.

Abstract

Chinese medicine (CM) has been used in clinical treatment for thousands of years in China

Japan

Korea

and other countries. CM is at present attracting many attentions around the world for reproductive health care and disease prevention

including treatment of female infertility. This review focuses on the CM treatment for female infertility patients

and supplies a summary on the efficacy

safety

and mechanism of some Chinese herbal medicines

herbal medicine-derived active compounds

and acupuncture. A large number of researches have reported that CM could alleviate or even cure female infertility by regulating hormone

improving reproductive outcome of in vivo fertilization

affecting embryonic implantation

curing polycystic ovarian syndrome

endometriosis

pelvic inflammatory disease

relieving mental stress

and regulating immune system. Meanwhile

a few studies claimed that there was little adverse reaction of CM in randomized controlled trials. However

up to present there is a lack of adequate evidences with molecular mechanistic researches and randomized controlled trials to prove the CM as an effective and safe treatment for infertility. Thus

utility of CM as a complementary medicine will be a feasible method to improve the outcome of female infertility treatment.

关键词

female infertilityComplementary MedicineChinese Medicinecombination therapy

Keywords

female infertilityComplementary MedicineChinese Medicinecombination therapy

references

Mascarenhas MN, Flaxman SR, Boerma T, Vanderpoel S, Stevens GA. National, regional, and global trends in infertility prevalence since 1990: a systematic analysis of 277 health surveys. PLoS Med 2012;9:e1001356.

Weiss RV, Clapauch R. Female infertility of endocrine origin. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol 2014;58:144–152.

Usadi RS, Merriam KS. On-label and off-label drug use in the treatment of female infertility. Fertil Steril 2015;103:583–594.

Sarapik A, Haller-Kikkatalo K, Utt M, Teesalu K, Salumets A, Uibo R. Serum anti-endometrial antibodies in infertile women-potential risk factor for implantation failure. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010;63:349–357.

Kowalcek I, Wihstutz N, Buhrow G, Diedrich K. Subjective well-being in infertile couples. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2001;22:143–148.

Weiss DA, Harris CR, Smith JF. The use of complementary and alternative fertility treatments. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2011;23:195–199.

Carneiro MM. What is the role of hysteroscopic surgery in the management of female infertility? A review of the literature. Surg Res Pract 2014;2014:105412.

Lawrence JM, Andrade SE, Avalos LA, Beaton SJ, Chiu VY, Davis RL, et al. Prevalence, trends, and patterns of use of antidiabetic medications among pregnant women, 2001–2007. stet Gynecol 2013;121:106–114.

Yu X, Ruan J, He LP, Hu W, Xu Q, Tang J, et al. Efficacy of growth hormone supplementation with gonadotrophins in vitro fertilization for poor ovarian responders: an updated meta-analysis. Int J Clin Exp Med 2015;8:4954–4967.

Xu H, Inagaki Y. A more womb-like chip for IVF was born in Japan. Biosci Trends 2007;1:117–118.

Propst AM, Bates GW Jr. Evaluation and treatment of anovulatory and unexplained infertility. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2012;39:507–519.

Liu Y, Yi X, Zhuang Y, Zhang S. Limitations in the process of transcription and translation inhibit recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin expression in CHO cells. J Biotechnol 2015;204:63–69.

Gleicher N, Weghofer A, Barad DH. Discordances between follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) in female infertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2010;8:64.

Pang SC. Use of follicle-stimulating hormone for the treatment of female infertility—current concepts. Womens Health (Lond) 2005;1:87–95.

Dorn C, Ou Q, Svaren J, Crawford PA, Sadovsky Y. Activation of luteinizing hormone beta gene by gonadotropin-releasing hormone requires the synergy of early growth response-1 and steroidogenic factor-1. J Biol Chem 1999;274:13870–13876.

Thorner MO, Besser GM, Jones A, Dacie J, Jones AE. Bromocriptine treatment of female infertility: report of 13 pregnancies. Br Med J 1975;4:694–697.

Ratner LD, Gonzalez B, Ahtiainen P, Di Giorgio NP, Poutanen M, Calandra RS, et al. Short-term pharmacological suppression of the hyperprolactinemia of infertile hCG-overproducing female mice persistently restores their fertility. Endocrinology 2012;153:5980–5992.

Ma K. Present situation and question and prospect of study on Kidney-supplementing and blood-activating method in treating ovaries functional disorders (infertility with dysfunctional ovulation) for stimulating ovaries reactive mechanism to gonadotropic hormones. China J Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2011;36:2441–2444.

Qi F, Zhao L, Zhou A, Zhang B, Li A, Wang Z, et al. The advantages of using traditional Chinese medicine as an adjunctive therapy in the whole course of cancer treatment instead of only terminal stage of cancer. Biosci Trends 2015;9:16–34.

Ru W, Wang D, Xu Y, He X, Sun YE, Qian L, et al. Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Panax ginseng (C. A. Mey.). Drug Discov Ther 2015;9:23–32.

Xia J, Chen J, Zhang Z, Song P, Tang W, Kokudo N. A map describing the association between effective components of traditional Chinese medicine and signaling pathways in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Drug Discov Ther 2014;8:139–153.

Xia JF, Gao JJ, Inagaki Y, Kokudo N, Nakata M, Tang W. Flavonoids as potential anti-hepatocellular carcinoma agents: recent approaches using HepG2 cell line. Drug Discov Ther 2013;7:1–8.

Asakawa T, Fang H, Hong Z, Sugiyama K, Nozaki T, Namba H. Peripheral stimulation in treating Parkinson’s disease: is it a realistic idea or a romantic whimsicality? Intract Rare Dis Res 2012;1:144–150.

Jiang D, Zhang Y, Wu X, Wu S. Infertility in polycystic ovary syndrome treated with acupuncture and clomiphene: a randomized controlled trial. Chin Acupunct Moxibust (Chin) 2015;35:114–118.

Messinis IE. Ovarian feedback, mechanism of action and possible clinical implications. Hum Reprod Update 2006;12:557–571.

Mayer DJ, Price DD, Rafii A. Antagonism of acupuncture analgesia in man by the narcotic antagonist naloxone. Brain Res 1977;121:368–372.

Zhang ZH, Cui YG, Zhong YM, Wang XS, Ju XB, Xu ZC, et al. Effect of acupuncture on pubertal development of rats and rabbits at different developmental stages. Neuropeptides 2007;41:249–261.

Chang R, Chung PH, Rosenwaks Z. Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility. Fertil Steril 2002;78:1149–1153.

Roa J, Herbison AE. Direct regulation of GnRH neuron excitability by arcuate nucleus POMC and NPY neuron neuropeptides in female mice. Endocrinology 2012;153:5587–5599.

Fukuda J, Abe T, Okuno T, Kobayashi T, Kato K. Administering human chorionic gonadotropin injections for triggering follicle maturation could impact fertility during the subsequent menstrual cycle. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2016;132:309–313.

Tang WL, Hu YH, He XH. Acupuncture stimulation of acupoints of multiple meridians for patients with diminished ovarian reserve of both yin and yang deficiency. Acupunct Res 2015;40:479–483,488.

Zeng G, Han X, Yu J, Wang Y, Tian Z. Effect of Nourishing "Yin" Removing "Fire" Chinese Herbal Mixture on hypothalamic mammalian target of rapamycin expression during onset of puberty in female rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:157846.

Arentz S, Abbott JA, Smith CA, Bensoussan A. Herbal medicine for the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and associated oligo/amenorrhoea and hyperandrogenism; a review of the laboratory evidence for effects with corroborative clinical findings. BMC Complement Altern Med 2014;14:511.

Martin-Liberal J. Leiomyosarcoma: principles of management. Intract Rare Dis Res 2013;2:127–129.

Dieterle S, Ying G, Hatzmann W, Neuer A. Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertil Steril 2006;85:1347–1351.

Smith C, Coyle M, Norman RJ. Influence of acupuncture stimulation on pregnancy rates for women undergoing embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2006;85:1352–1358.

Glickman-Simon R, Lindsay T. Cannabinoids for chronic pain, Mediterranean diet and cognitive function; vitamin E and selenium for cataract prevention; acupuncture and moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea; massage therapy and in vitro fertilization. Explore (NY) 2015;11:489–493.

Anderson BJ, Haimovici F, Ginsburg ES, Schust DJ, Wayne PM. In vitro fertilization and acupuncture: clinical efficacy and mechanistic basis. Altern Ther Health Med 2007;13:38–48.

Lian F, Wang L, Zhang JW. Effect of Erzhi Tiangui Recipe on ovarian reactivity in elderly sterile women. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2006;26:685–688.

Ushiroyama T, Yokoyama N, Hakukawa M, Sakuma K, Ichikawa F, Yoshida S. Clinical efficacy of macrophageactivating Chinese mixed herbs (MACH) in improvement of embryo qualities in women with long-term infertility of unknown etiology. Am J Chin Med 2012;40:1–10.

Cao H, Han M, Ng EH, Wu X, Flower A, Lewith G, et al. Can Chinese herbal medicine improve outcomes of in vitro fertilization? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One 2013;8:e81650.

Li D, Zhang M, Zhang Q, Wang Y, Song X. Functional recovery after acute intravenous administration of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in rats with cerebral ischemiareperfusion injury. Intract Rare Dis Res 2015;4:98–104.

Kunwar S, Khan T, Srivastava K. Abdominal pregnancy: methods of hemorrhage control. Intract Rare Dis Res 2015;4:105–107.

Hase N, Ozeki N, Hiyama T, Yamaguchi H, Kawai R, Kondo A, et al. Products of dentin matrix protein-1 degradation by interleukin-1beta-induced matrix metalloproteinase-3 promote proliferation of odontoblastic cells. Biosci Trends 2015;9:228–236.

Stener-Victorin E, Waldenstrom U, Andersson SA, Wikland M. Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod 1996;11:1314–1317.

Manni L, Lundeberg T, Holmang A, Aloe L, Stener-Victorin E. Effect of electro-acupuncture on ovarian expression of alpha (1)-and beta (2)-adrenoceptors, and p75 neurotrophin receptors in rats with steroid-induced polycystic ovaries. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2005;3:21.

Li W, Zhou CH, Lu QL. Effects of Chinese materia medica in activating blood and stimulating menstrual flow on the endocrine function of ovary-uterus and its mechanisms. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 1992;12:165–168,134.

Huang J. External application of Chinese drugs on acupoint Shenque combined with salpingostomy for treatment of sterility caused by obstruction of the fallopian tube—a clinical report of 45 cases. J Tradit Chin Med 2005;25:174–176.

Yu N, Yang J, Yin T. Extracts from a traditional Chinese herbal remedy (Zhuyun Recipe) improve endometrial receptivity in mice with embryonic implantation dysfunction and ovulation stimulation. J Ethnopharmacol 2011;137:389–395.

Zhao H, Chen BY. Evaluation of electroacupuncture on ovariectomized rats: implications of modern scientific mechanisms on acupuncture curing woman perimenopausal syndrome. Acupunct Electrother Res 2005;30:275–288.

Lin JG, Chen WL. Acupuncture analgesia: a review of its mechanisms of actions. Am J Chin Med 2008;36:635–645.

Ma S, Li D, Jiang J, Shen B. Role of the medial preoptic area in electroacupuncture treatment of reproductive dysfunction in ovariectomised rats. Acupunct Med 2016; doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010839. [Epub ahead of print]

Stener-Victorin E, Lundeberg T, Waldenstrom U, Bileviciute-Ljungar I, Janson PO. Effects of electro-acupuncture on corticotropin-releasing factor in rats with experimentallyinduced polycystic ovaries. Neuropeptides 2001;35:227–231.

Stener-Victorin E, Lundeberg T, Cajander S, Aloe L, Manni L, Waldenstrom U, et al. Steroid-induced polycystic ovaries in rats: effect of electro-acupuncture on concentrations of endothelin-1 and nerve growth factor (NGF), and expression of NGF mRNA in the ovaries, the adrenal glands, and the central nervous system. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2003;1:33.

Ansari RM. Potential use of durian fruit (Durio zibenthinus Linn) as an adjunct to treat infertility in polycystic ovarian syndrome. J Integr Med 2016;14:22–28.

Lee JC, Pak SC, Lee SH, Lim SC, Bai YH, Jin CS, et al. The effect of herbal medicine on nerve growth factor in estradiol valerate-induced polycystic ovaries in rats. Am J Chin Med 2003;31:885–895.

Xie Y, Huang D, Li Q, Lu F, Xu L, Zou X, et al. Effects of Bushen Tongmai Recipe on expression of IRS-1 Ser307 in polycystic ovarian syndrome rats accompanying with insulin resistance. China J Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2010;35:635–638.

Desai BN, Maharjan RH, Nampoothiri LP. Aloe barbadensis Mill. formulation restores lipid profile to normal in a letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome rat model. Pharmacognosy Res 2012;4:109–115.

Fang RC, Tsai YT, Lai JN, Yeh CH, Wu CT. The traditional Chinese medicine prescription pattern of endometriosis patients in Taiwan: a population-based study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2012;2012:591391.

Flower A, Liu JP, Lewith G, Little P, Li Q. Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;5:CD006568.

Zhao RH, Hao ZP, Zhang Y, Lian FM, Sun WW, Liu Y, et al. Controlling the recurrence of pelvic endometriosis after a conservative operation: comparison between Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine. Chin J Integr Med 2013;19:820–825.

Tang Q, Shang F, Wang X, Yang Y, Chen G, Chen Y, et al. Combination use of ferulic acid, ligustrazine and tetrahydropalmatine inhibits the growth of ectopic endometrial tissue: a multi-target therapy for endometriosis rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2014;151:1218–1225.

Zou J, Guan Z, Zhang WY, Xiao W, Li YL. Beneficial effects of the Chinese herbal medicine Sanjie Zhentong Capsule on experimental endometriosis in rats. Chin J Nat Med (Chin) 2013;11:666–672.

Cao Y, Zhang TT, Xie SW, Zhu Y, Shu LD, Song ZL, et al. Effects of Caulis Sargentodoxae Granule on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor-2 in rats with endometriosis. J Chin Integr Med 2009;7:360–365.

Li XL, Lian F, Liu YH. Effect of human follicular fluid from endometriosis patients treated with Quyu Jiedu Granule on mouse embryonic development. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2009;29:1001–1004.

Tong Y. Seizures caused by pyridoxine (vitamin B6) deficiency in adults: a case report and literature review. Intract Rare Dis Res 2014;3:52–56.

Chung C, Lee M, Chu P, Yen Y. Case report: occurrence of fallopian tube cancer in a patient with previous history of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Biosci Trends 2009;3:200–201.

Wang C, Cheng L, Zhang Z, Yuan Z. Imaging diagnosis of hepatic ectopic pregnancy: a report of one case. Intract Rare Dis Res 2012;1:40–44.

Su ZZ, Li N, Cao L, Wang TJ, Zhang CF, Ding G, et al. Main progress on studies of pharmacological activities and clinical applications of Guizhi Fuling Capsule. China J Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2015;40:989–992.

Liu C, Zhang Y, Kong S, Tsui I, Yu Y, Han F. Applications and therapeutic actions of complementary and alternative medicine for women with genital infection. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2014;2014:658624.

Chen X, Liu Y, Deng Y, Yuan B, Li Y, Ren X. Hemorheological study and treatment with enema retention of Li Chong Tang combined with moxibustion in women suffering from chronic pelvic inflammatory diseases. Pak J Pharm Sci 2015;28:1465–1469.

Zou W, Wen X, Zheng Y, Xiao Z, Luo J, Chen S, et al. Metabolomic study on the preventive effect of Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch on multipathogen induced pelvic inflammatory disease in rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015;2015:170792.

Liu BQ, Gong X, Jin Z. Effect of Danzhi Decoction on expression of angiogenesis factors in patients with sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease. Asian Pac J Trop Med 2014;7:985–990.

Peterson BD, Newton CR, Feingold T. Anxiety and sexual stress in men and women undergoing infertility treatment. Fertil Steril 2007;88:911–914.

Yokozawa T, Kang KS, Park CH, Noh JS, Yamabe N, Shibahara N, et al. Bioactive constituents of Corni Fructus: the therapeutic use of morroniside, loganin, and 7-O-galloyl-D-sedoheptulose as renoprotective agents in type 2 diabetes. Drug Discov Ther 2010;4:223–234.

Eskiocak S, Gozen AS, Taskiran A, Kilic AS, Eskiocak M, Gulen S. Effect of psychological stress on the L-argininenitric oxide pathway and semen quality. Brazil J Med Biolog Res 2006;39:581–588.

Abad-Alegria F, Pomaron C, Aznar C, Munoz C, Adelantado S. Objective assessment of the sympatholytic action of the Nei-Kuan acupoint. Am J Chin Med 2001;29:201–210.

Huang ST, Chen GY, Lo HM, Lin JG, Lee YS, Kuo CD. Increase in the vagal modulation by acupuncture at Neiguan point in the healthy subjects. Am J Chin Med 2005;33:157–164.

Lian F, Zhang N, Zhang JW. Clinical observation on effect of Zhenqi Zhuanyin Decoction combined with intrauterine insemination in treating Spleen-Kidney deficiency type patients of sterility with positive anti-sperm antibody. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2002;22:95–97.

Thomas KJ, MacPherson H, Ratcliffe J, Thorpe L, Brazier J, Campbell M, et al. Longer term clinical and economic benefits of offering acupuncture care to patients with chronic low back pain. Health Technol Assess 2005;9:iii-iv, ix-x, 1–109.

FULL TEXT LINK

More>

Views

Downloads

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

Submit

Tools

Publicity Resources

Review of the regulations for clinical research in herbal medicines in USA

Effect of Longbishu Capsule (癃闭舒胶囊) plus doxazosin on benign prostatic hyperplasia: A randomized controlled trial

Chinese medicine herbal treatment based on syndrome differentiation improves the overall survival of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Gefitinib plus Fuzheng Kang’ai Formula (扶正抗癌方) in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Future view and development of immunology: Exploring the immunology based on Chinese medicine and culture

Related Author

No data

Related Institution

Herose Clinical Centre

Department of Law, School of Humanities, Inner Mongolia University of Technology

School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Care, Faculty of Health, Life & Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court

Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Department of Andrology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Address：1 Caochang, xiyuan, Beijing, People's Republic of China Postal code：100091
Tel：010-62886827, 62877592 Fax：010-62874291
Technical support is provided by Beijing Founder electronics co., LTD 京ICP备05067934号-1 京公网安备11010802024621
It is recommended to read the content of this site in Chrome&IE9+. Please switch to extreme mode in browser 360.
Cookies We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. By continuing, you agree to the use of cookies.

⁰