Effects of unkei-to, an herbal medicine, on endocrine function and ovulation in women with high basal levels of luteinizing hormone secretion

OBJECTIVE: To treat anovulatory women with high plasma LH levels with unkei -to. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 100 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 3 8) or iron-polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 62) were allocated randomly into two groups. Endocrine levels (FSH, LH and estradiol), follicle growth and r esponse to unkei-to were compared for 52 subjects in the unkei-to group and 48 subjects in the control group. RESULTS: Unkei-to induced significant decreases in plasma LH in polycystic ovary syndrome and non-polycystic ovary syndrome with high LH levels. Plasm a estradiol levels increased significantly (43.5%) in eight weeks of treatm ent with unkei-to. Significant development of the dominant follicle was als o observed in patients treated with unkei-to. When women suffering from ovu latory failure or irregular menstruation and having high plasma LH concentr ation were treated with unkei-to for eight weeks, a reduction in the serum LH level of at least I SD from baseline was noted in 45.5% of polycystic ov ary syndrome patients and in 80.0% of non-polycystic ovary syndrome patient s. The mean rate of eduction of serum LH was 22.2 +/- 35.7% in polycystic o vary syndrome patients and 49.7 +/- 15.3% in non-polycystic ovary syndrome patients. This reduction was significant in the non-polycystic ovary syndro me patients (P = .030). The rate of menstrual cycle improvement, including successful ovulation, was 50.0% in the polycystic ovary syndrome group and 60.0% in the non-polycystic ovary syndrome group, with no significant diffe rence between the two groups.