THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF INDONESIAN PLANT FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS): A NARATIVE REVIEW

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common, complex, and heterogeneous female endocrine
disorder involving a combination of environmental and genetic factors. PCOS is defined by elevated
androgen levels and an imbalance of the LH and FSH hormones, which results in anovulation, infertility,
and irregular menstrual periods. PCOS is linked to a variety of endocrine and metabolic diseases,
including obesity, hirsutism, acne, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Drug treatment for PCOS might
have negative side effects, thus herbal therapy is regarded as a viable approach. Several studies have
explored the use of herbs in the treatment of PCOS, but no one has specifically discussed Indonesian
plants, which have historically been used for therapeutic purposes. This narrative review explores the
therapeutic potential of Indonesian herbal plants in the management and treatment of PCOS, in addition
to how chemicals found in Indonesian plants may influence PCOS risk factors such as obesity, insulin
resistance, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidaemia. This review uses a literature search, with the
method of collecting library data through searching several databases with the keywords: “PCOS,
herbal therapy, clinical therapy and potential therapy for insulin resistance and the reproductive system”,
in the period 2013 - 2023. Various studies show that drugs herbal medicines play a role in changing
lipid and hormone profiles, increasing insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels, and enhance ovarian
tissue health through increasing gene and receptor expression, increasing and inhibiting the action of
related enzymes. The herbal plant that has been most studied both in vivo, in vitro and in human trials
is cinnamon. However, there are plenty more Indonesian plants that have the potential to treat PCOS.
The emphasis is on the need for comprehensive research to determine the safety and efficacy of plantbased treatments in Indonesia, through pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, bioavailability and toxicity
studies to obtain complementary herbal medicines for conventional pharmaceutical therapy for PCOS
that are more holistic, thereby potentially enhancing their quality of life and mitigating the occurrence of
comorbid conditions.
Keywords: PCOS, Indonesia Plants, Insulin Resistance, Herbal Medicines.