Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues
Endometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pelvic pain and infertility, severely impacts the health and life quality of many women worldwide. Since phytoestrogens are commonly found in a variety of foods, and estrogen is a major pathological factor for the pathogenesis of endometrio...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceuticals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/6/569 |
| _version_ | 1797530187225628672 |
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| author | Xia Cai Min Liu Bing Zhang Shao-Jie Zhao Shi-Wen Jiang |
| author_facet | Xia Cai Min Liu Bing Zhang Shao-Jie Zhao Shi-Wen Jiang |
| author_sort | Xia Cai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pelvic pain and infertility, severely impacts the health and life quality of many women worldwide. Since phytoestrogens are commonly found in a variety of foods, and estrogen is a major pathological factor for the pathogenesis of endometriosis, their possible involvement cannot be ignored. This review summarizes data on the relationship between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk, and analyzes the findings from in vitro experiments, rodent endometriotic models, and human intervention trials. While favorable results were often obtained from endometrial primary cultures and animal models for resveratrol, isoflavones and puerarin, only resveratrol showed promising results in human intervention trials. Critical issues concerning the current study efforts are discussed: the possible reasons beneath the discrepant observations of estrogenic/anti-estrogenic effects by phytoestrogens; the complicated interplays between phytoestrogens and endogenous estrogens; the shortage of currently used animal models; the necessity to apply reasonable doses of phytoestrogens in experiments. It is expected that the analyses would help to more properly assess the phytoestrogens’ effects on the endometriosis pathogenesis and their potential values for preventive or therapeutic applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:25:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6bf072d5aaac4984bd4fae3f0dc7a581 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8247 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:25:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceuticals |
| spelling | doaj.art-6bf072d5aaac4984bd4fae3f0dc7a5812023-11-22T00:05:41ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472021-06-0114656910.3390/ph14060569Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and IssuesXia Cai0Min Liu1Bing Zhang2Shao-Jie Zhao3Shi-Wen Jiang4Department of Nursing, The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, ChinaDepartment of Nursing, The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, ChinaDepartment of Gynecology, The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, ChinaDepartment of Gynecology, The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Research Institute for Reproductive Health and Genetic Diseases, The Affiliated Wuxi Matemity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi 214002, ChinaEndometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pelvic pain and infertility, severely impacts the health and life quality of many women worldwide. Since phytoestrogens are commonly found in a variety of foods, and estrogen is a major pathological factor for the pathogenesis of endometriosis, their possible involvement cannot be ignored. This review summarizes data on the relationship between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk, and analyzes the findings from in vitro experiments, rodent endometriotic models, and human intervention trials. While favorable results were often obtained from endometrial primary cultures and animal models for resveratrol, isoflavones and puerarin, only resveratrol showed promising results in human intervention trials. Critical issues concerning the current study efforts are discussed: the possible reasons beneath the discrepant observations of estrogenic/anti-estrogenic effects by phytoestrogens; the complicated interplays between phytoestrogens and endogenous estrogens; the shortage of currently used animal models; the necessity to apply reasonable doses of phytoestrogens in experiments. It is expected that the analyses would help to more properly assess the phytoestrogens’ effects on the endometriosis pathogenesis and their potential values for preventive or therapeutic applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/6/569phytoestrogensendometriosisresveratrolisoflavonespuerarin |
| spellingShingle | Xia Cai Min Liu Bing Zhang Shao-Jie Zhao Shi-Wen Jiang Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues Pharmaceuticals phytoestrogens endometriosis resveratrol isoflavones puerarin |
| title | Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues |
| title_full | Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues |
| title_fullStr | Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues |
| title_short | Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues |
| title_sort | phytoestrogens for the management of endometriosis findings and issues |
| topic | phytoestrogens endometriosis resveratrol isoflavones puerarin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/6/569 |
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