Zishen Yutai pills + Metformin boosts IVF success rates in women affected with PCOS

In a recent study, Zishen Yutai pills (ZSYTP, a Chinese patent medicine) in combination with Metformin remarkably enhanced key pregnancy outcomes i.e., ovulation stimulation along with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) success rates, as well as secondary outcomes like glucose metabolism, reproductive hormone levels, body mass index (BMI), and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores. Yu Zhang and other investigators assessed the usefulness of integrating ZSYTP with Metformin hydrochloride in optimizing IVF-ET outcomes in infertile females suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Data from PCOS patients who underwent IVF-ET between April 2019 and April 2022 were obtained from hospital records. The patients were categorized into three groups: ZSYTP group (n = 50), Metformin group (n = 50), and the combination group (ZSYTP plus metformin hydrochloride, n = 50) based on the treatments they received prior to IVF-ET. The groups were compared in terms of glucose metabolism, sex hormone levels, TCM syndrome scores, and IVF-ET outcomes.

Following therapy, reductions in luteinizing hormone, BMI, TCM syndrome scores, fasting plasma glucose, testosterone levels, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), estradiol, and follicle-stimulating hormone were observed in all groups as opposed to pre-intervention levels. The treatment group showed more pronounced improvements than the control group, requiring markedly lower doses of gonadotropins, shorter treatment durations, and exhibiting a reduced abortion rate.

Additionally, the treatment group achieved better improvements in terms of the numbers of retrieved eggs, high-quality embryos, eggs procured via IVF-ET, transferred embryos, clinical pregnancy rates, and embryo implantation rates. Pretreatment with ZSYTP and Metformin in PCOS women before IVF-ET dramatically improves ovarian function, aberrant glucose metabolism, and TCM-linked symptoms, while also reducing BMI, gonadotropin  dosage, and treatment duration. Despite these promising results, additional corroboration through larger, multicenter trials is prudent to confirm the clinical usefulness of this combined approach.