Novel Drug Targets with Traditional Herbal Medicines for Overcoming Endometriosis

Abstract

Endometriosis is a disease in which the lining of the endometrium is found outside of the uterus. Recent medical treatments for endometriosis have adverse effects, limiting their long-term use. Furthermore, the recurrence of the disease after the cessation of therapy is quite common, and most patients need to continue treatment to maintain a hypoestrogenic environment till conception. Notwithstanding recent advances in computational and chemical practices, traditional medicines are considered the most consistent sources for the discovery of new drugs. Numerous medicinal plants and plantderived compounds have been tested against gynecological disorders, mainly endometriosis. This review aimed to describe the pharmacological activity profile of the medicinal plants and their active ingredients and draw attention to the discovery of multitargeted drug molecules for rational therapy.

Polyphenols as a Diet Therapy Concept for Endometriosis—Current Opinion and Future Perspectives

“…Clinicians also investigated the therapeutic potential of resveratrol in endometriosis in several clinical trials. Most clinical studies generally presupposed resveratrol’s capacity to potentiate the actions of oral contraceptives in the treatment of endometriosis through its hypo-estrogenic action [ 164 ]. Maia et al (2012) assessed the advantages of the association of resveratrol with oral contraceptives for the management of endometriosis-related pain.…”

Endometriosis diagnosis and medical treatment: Present and future

“…Studies focused on adhesion molecules, inflammatory and noninflammatory cytokines, angiogenic and growth factors, and glycoproteins, found to be highly related to the pathogenesis of endometriosis and the development of endometriotic lesions. Nevertheless, neither a single biomarker nor a panel of biomarkers has been confirmed as a consistent noninvasive test for endometriosis (68)(69)(70).…”

“…Trials with high sensitivity and suitable specificity have been established; some have been confirmed in self-determining populations and are consequently promising (32,68). However, the range of blood tests that have been evaluated, a reliable test has yet to be identified for the diagnosis of endometriosis (126,127).…”

“…Treatment of endometriosis-associated symptoms requires surgical and medical intervention (68). Although the available medical treatments are not completely therapeutic, they are a mainstay of pain suppression and reversion of lesions in women who suffer from this pathology.…”

Overview of the Effect of Complementary Medicine on Treating or Mitigating the Risk of Endometriosis

“…Progestin may affect the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the blood, possibly increasing the risk of cardiovascular side effects, such as thrombosis. 7,8 The role of complementary medicine and the development of endometriosis have received growing attention, which is largely due to the physiological and pathological processes related to the disease, including inflammation, estrogen activity, menstrual cycles, organochlorines, and the metabolism of prostaglandin. 9 There are several systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effect of complementary medicine such as exercise, drinking diet and acupuncture on the endometriosis.…”