Endocrinology & Metabolic Syndrome Case Report Open Access Successful Treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Infertility with Chinese Herbal Medicine: A Case Report Citation: Qu X, Ong M (2015) Successful Treatment

Abstract This case report details a 30 year old woman with hyperlipidemia, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and infertility. Her impaired liver function has prevented the use of pharmaceutical drugs (statins and metformin). The patient therefore underwent two stages of Chinese herbal medicine treatment: the first formula to ameliorate hyperlipidemia and amenorrhea; and the second formula to improve ovarian dysfunction as well as glucose and lipid metabolism. Over 8 months of treatment, the patient achieved pregnancy and a natural birth without developing gestational diabetes. While the treatment of coexisting metabolic syndrome conditions is often complex and difficult, this case report highlights how Chinese herbal medicine may offer a successful treatment option for women with multiple metabolic abnormalities and associated infertility

Cordycepin attenuated the LPS-induced inflammatory responses.

<p>(A) Representative images of microglia following 10 μM cordycepin treatment for 1 day with or without LPS treatment. Cells were stained green for tubulin, blue for nucleus. Scale bar = 100μm. The contents of cytokines, including TNF-α (B) and IL-1β (C) in the experimental groups were measured by the ELISA assay. Note the obviously lower concentrations of TNF-α and IL-1β in cordycepin treatment group compared to untreated group after LPS stimulation. (D-E) Relative mRNA levels of iNOS and COX-2 in the experimental groups assessed by real time PCR using the 2^-ΔΔCT method. Data are expressed as the fold change in gene expression normalized to an endogenous gene (β-actin) and relative to the cells in control group without LPS stimulation. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 6 in triplicate). # p < 0. 01.</p

Effects of cordycepin treatment on spine morphology and density in the hippocampal neurons.

<p>(A) The cultured hippocampal neurons were transfected with mCherry-actin and imaged. The spine in the experimental groups could be clearly observed at high magnification. Scale bar = 2 μm. (B) Proportion of different spine types expressed as percentage of total spines in the neurons in the experimental groups. (C) Spine density expressed as number of spines per 10 μm of dendrites of the neurons in the experimental groups. Data were presented by mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05.</p

Effects of different doses of cordycepin exposure on BV2 microglia viability.

<p>(A) Representative photographs of microglia exposed to different doses of cordycepin (0, 1, 10, 20, 40 μg/ml). Scale bar = 200 μm. (B) Relative cell viability of the microglia to the control following cordycepin treatment, measured by MTT assay. (C) Relative LDH release to control in the experimental groups. The data were presented by the mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05.</p

Cordycepin (10 μg/ml) rescued LPS-induced cell death in the hippocampal neurons.

<p>The cells were cultured for 7 days in the different conditioned mediums of the experimental groups. (A) Relative cell viabilities to control in the experimental groups, examined by MTT assay. (C) Relative LDH release to control in the experimental groups. Data were presented by mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05.</p

Cordycepin (10 μg/ml) inhibited NF-кB signaling pathway activated by LPS treatment.

<p>(A) The p65, IкBα and p-IкBα protein expression in the cytoplasm in the cultures under cordycepin treatment with or without LPS stimulation. (B-D) The relative optical densities of p65, IкBα and p-IкBα protein bands to control, normalized to β-actin. (E) The p65 expression in the nucleus in the experimental groups. (F) The relative optical densities of p65 protein bands to control, normalized to HDAC1. Data were presented by mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, #p < 0.01.</p

Correction: Decreased Sperm Motility Retarded ICSI Fertilization Rate in Severe Oligozoospermia but Good-Quality Embryo Transfer Had Achieved the Prospective Clinical Outcomes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163524.]