Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains a major public health problem that affects millions of women worldwide during their reproductive years (1). This syndrome is characterized by elevated androgen levels, which leads to excessive hair growth, acne, thinning hair, ovulatory disorder, irregular menstrual cycles, and/or the presence of polycystic ovaries. PCOS and hyperandrogenemia are associated with a range of health impacts, including impaired fertility with implantation failure and recurrent miscarriages; long-term metabolic complications with a high incidence of hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes; and mental health problems. Despite the high prevalence of the syndrome, the mechanistic basis of PCOS is poorly understood, and present treatments are nonspecific and focused on eliminating symptoms. On page 1187 of this issue, Liu et al. (2) demonstrate that artemisinins, compounds known for their antimalarial properties, suppress ovarian androgen synthesis by promoting degradation of cytochrome P450 11A1 (CYP11A1), making them a promising new approach for preventing and treating PCOS.

中文翻译：

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多囊卵巢综合症的治疗希望


多囊卵巢综合征 (PCOS) 仍然是影响全球数百万育龄妇女的主要公共卫生问题 (1)。该综合征的特点是雄激素水平升高，导致毛发过度生长、痤疮、毛发稀疏、排卵障碍、月经周期不规则和/或多囊卵巢的存在。多囊卵巢综合症和高雄激素血症与一系列健康影响有关，包括因着床失败和反复流产而导致的生育能力受损；长期代谢并发症，高胰岛素血症、胰岛素抵抗和 2 型糖尿病的发生率较高；和心理健康问题。尽管该综合征的患病率很高，但人们对多囊卵巢综合症的机制基础知之甚少，目前的治疗方法是非特异性的，并且侧重于消除症状。在本期第 1187 页，Liu 等人。 (2) 证明青蒿素（以其抗疟特性而闻名的化合物）通过促进细胞色素 P450 11A1 (CYP11A1) 的降解来抑制卵巢雄激素合成，使其成为预防和治疗 PCOS 的有前途的新方法。