Physiological role and clinical utility of inositols in polycystic ovary syndrome.
During the last decades, a substantial body of research has focused on the role of the two major inositol (Ins) stereoisomers, myoinositol (myoIns) and D-chiroinositol (D-chiroIns), both second messengers of insulin, in insulin-dependent processes, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). MyoIns has been shown to affect different pathways at both ovarian and non-ovarian level. On the contrary, D-chiroIns alone is unable to exert significant improvements in the ovarian cell functions, as its beneficial effects are mainly limited to the non-ovarian tissue in which it may significantly inhibit the negative cellular consequences of hyperinsulinemia. However, both Ins isomers can be positively associated in the management of PCOS patients in a ratio corresponding to their physiological plasma ratio (40:1). This appears to exert a synergistic effect according to a multi-targeted design. In this respect, new fundamental insights into the biological mechanisms displayed by Ins, as well as clinical trials based on the myoIns + D-chiroIns formulations, have already provided encouraging results.
Department of Psychology, Section of Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; "Research Center in Neurobiology Daniel Bovet" (CRiN), 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: arturo.bevilacqua@uniroma1.it.
Arturo
A
Bevilacqua
Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; Systems Biology Group Lab, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Mariano
M
Bizzarri
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000378:metabolism*; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D007294:Inositol
D-chiroinositol; inositol; insulin; myoinositol; polycystic ovary syndrome