title: A Single Arm Pilot Study of Effects of Berberine on the Menstrual Pattern, Ovulation Rate, Hormonal and Metabolic Profiles in Anovulatory Chinese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of berberine on the menstrual pattern, ovulation rate, hormonal and metabolic profiles in anovulatory Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Berberine 0.4 g three times per day was given for four months to 102 anovulatory Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The menstrual pattern, ovulation rate, hormonal and metabolic profiles were compared before and after the berberine treatment. Ovulation was confirmed by serum progesterone level ≥10 ng/ml.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 98 of 102 subjects (96.1%) completed the four month treatment, including 69 (70.4%, 69/98) normal weight and 29 (29.6%, 29/98) overweight/obese. Fourteen women (14.3%, 14/98) had regained regular menses after berberine treatment and there was no significant difference between normal weight and overweight/obese groups. The ovulation rate was 25.0% over four months in the whole group, 22.5% in the normal weight group and 31.0% in the overweight/obese group. Sex hormone binding globulin, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, total triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased after berberine treatment in the normal weight group only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found that administration of berberine alone may improve the menstrual pattern and ovulation rate in anovulatory Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Berberine can also decrease sex hormone binding globulin, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in normal weight polycystic ovary syndrome women.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Chictr.org ChiCTR-OO-13003943.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang, China.
authors.forename: Chengyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ernest Hung Yu
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dongzi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000858:Anovulation; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D001599:Berberine