Jinfeng Pills alleviate letrozole-induced PCOS by correcting CYP17A1/CYP19A1 steroidogenic imbalance and PI3K/Akt/mTOR-related signaling
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Jinfeng Pills (JFP) is a classical Chinese patent medicine originating as an imperial court prescription during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty (1735-1796), in continuous use in southern China and Southeast Asia for over two centuries (NMPA approval No. Z20064400). Comprising nine ingredients - Panax ginseng C.A.Mey., Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, Ligustrum lucidum W.T.Aiton, Epimedium brevicornu Maxim., Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke, Leonurus japonicus Houtt., Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Equus asinus Linnaeus, and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. - formulated as a honey-based pill and traditionally indicated for kidney-yang deficiency with blood stasis, its clinical presentations of oligomenorrhea and anovulatory infertility closely mirror PCOS hallmarks, yet its multi-constituent pharmacological mechanisms remain unresolved.
Aim of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of JFP in a letrozole-induced PCOS rat model and explore associated molecular pathways using network pharmacology and multi-layer molecular profiling.
Materials and methods: PCOS was induced in SD rats via letrozole, followed by 21-day JFP treatment (160, 240, 320 mg/kg) or metformin. Estrous cyclicity, serum hormones, and ovarian morphology were evaluated. Network pharmacology, ovarian proteomics, qPCR, Western blot, serum metabolomics, and 16S rRNA gut microbiota profiling were performed as complementary analyses.
Results: Compared with the model…
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