title: Unkei-to for correcting luteal phase defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical efficacy of Unkei-to in women with luteal phase defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study of 103 consecutive subjects with luteal phase defects treated with unkei-to (7.5 g/d) and 94 control subjects was conducted. A venous blood sample was taken, and plasma gonadotropins, 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone levels were measured. Dominant follicle size and endometrial thickness were assessed in the late follicular phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unkei-to significantly decreased plasma luteinizing hormone and significantly increased 17 beta-estradiol concentration in the follicular phase and significantly increased progesterone (66.7%) in the midluteal phase (P < .05). Significant development of the dominant follicle (P < .01) and endometrium (P < .001) was also observed in patients treated with unkei-to. We observed significant prolongation of the luteal phase (43%, P < .001) as measured by basal body temperature. There was a 79.6% rate of correction of luteal phase defects in patients treated with unkei-to. Furthermore, the pregnancy rate in patients desiring pregnancy was 49.5% (41/83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of unkei-to may normalize the gonadotropin-ovarian endocrine system and/or their interaction in the follicular phase and may improve the endocrine environment in the luteal phase in patients with luteal phase defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8686, Japan. gyn003@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ushiroyama
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higashio
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosotani
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C058415:unkei-to; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone