Evidence mapPaperPMID 41778159Full record

ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2026

Synergistic therapeutic effects of metformin and curcumin on polycystic ovary syndrome via regulation of insulin resistance and oxidative stress in a rat model.

Lina Zheng, Baohua Wu, Junli Zhang, Yianduo Zhang, Zhiling Yang, Caifeng Deng, Chaolin Huang, Ling Lu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Lina Zheng *Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Baohua Wu *Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Junli Zhang *Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Yianduo ZhangDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Zhiling YangDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Caifeng DengDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Chaolin HuangDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.
Ling LuDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and elevated oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the synergistic therapeutic effects of metformin and curcumin on insulin resistance and oxidative stress in a rat model of PCOS. Materials and methods: Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to blank control (n = 6) and experimental (PCOS) groups (n = 24). The PCOS model was induced through daily subcutaneous injections of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA, 60 mg/kg) for 20 days. Subsequently, the experimental group was subdivided into four groups: PCOS-only, PCOS-metformin (300 mg/kg), PCOS-curcumin (50 mg/kg), and PCOS-metformin-curcumin (combined treatment). Treatments were administered daily via oral gavage for another 20 days. Estrous cycles, ovarian morphology, serum sex hormones, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress in ovarian tissues were assessed. Results: Combined treatment with metformin and curcumin significantly restored estrous cyclicity, improved ovarian morphology, reduced serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels, decreased LH/FSH ratio, and ameliorated insulin resistance compared to monotherapy groups. Moreover, the combined treatment markedly decreased ovarian oxidative stress markers (ROS and MDA) and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, SOD, GSH), surpassing the effects of either agent alone. Conclusion: Combined administration of metformin and curcumin demonstrated synergistic therapeutic effects in PCOS rats by concurrently addressing insulin resistance and oxidative stress. These findings support the clinical potential of this combination as an effective strategy for managing PCOS. Further clinical studies are necessary to validate these promising preclinical findings.

Indexed as

CurcuminInsulin ResistanceMetforminOxidative StressPolycystic Ovary SyndromeAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalDrug SynergismDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHypoglycemic AgentsOvaryRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyCurcuminHypoglycemic AgentsMetformincurcumininsulin resistancemetforminoxidative stresspolycystic ovary syndrome

Identifiers

PMID41778159
PMCPMC12950547

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.