Curcumin and Teupolioside attenuate signs and symptoms severity associated to hirsutism in PCOS women: a preliminary pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Hirsutism affects 5-15% of women of reproductive age, with approximately 80% of these women having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The etiopathogenesis of PCOS remains unclear, the clinical characteristics of PCOS include hyperandrogenism, generally manifested as hirsutism and acne, and both these clinical symptoms are treated with oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), topical medications or antiandrogens. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) and Plant sterols, such as a phenylpropanoid glycosides of Ajuga reptans, known as Teupolioside, have attracted considerable attention due to their pharmacological properties. Taking into consideration wide-ranging pharmacological and biological properties and the safety of herbal extracts, we proposed a combination of curcumin and teupolioside to evaluate the anti-androgenic properties in women with PCOS and clinical signs of hyperandrogenism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six hyperandrogenic PCOS women with a hirsutism score (HS) > 20, according to Ferriman-Gallwey scoring system, were involved in the study. These women were treated with a galenical preparation mixture containing curcumin and teupolioside and clinical features were assessed after 12 weeks. RESULTS: The nutraceutical combination containing curcumin/teopolioside ameliorated clinical manifestations associated to hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS after a 12-weeks treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that a curcumin/teopolioside nutraceutical combination is beneficial for improving various clinical manifestations associated to abnormal hormonal parameters in PCOS women, as well as signs and symptoms associated to hyperandrogenism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]