Unkei-to for correcting luteal phase defects.
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.
Ushiroyama
Takahisa
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8686, Japan. gyn003@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp
Ikeda
Atsushi
A
Higashio
Satoko
S
Hosotani
Toshimitsu
T
Yamashita
Hidetoshi
H
Yamashita
Yoshiki
Y
Suzuki
Yoshihiko
Y
Ueki
Minoru
M
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
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C058415:unkei-to; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone