# Soy Isoflavones and PCOS: Role in Hormonal and Metabolic Mechanisms
## 4 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Soy Isoflavones
### Endocrine Mechanisms
#### 4.1.3. Aromatase and Oestrogens
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\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Authors, Year** & **Study Design, Duration** & **Characteristics of the Study** & **Intervention/Aim** & **Main Results** & **Conclusions** \\ \hline  & & & 32 female Wistar rats, & & & \\  & & including 24 rats with & & & & \\  & & EV-induced; divided & & & & \\  & & into 4 groups & & & & \\  & & (\(n=8/\text{each}\)): & & & & \\  & Experimental & & (1): CON, only received & To investigate the & & follicles, \(\downarrow\) thickness & SISAF extract had \\  & animal study, & the vehicle, (2) rats with & effect of SISAF on & & of the the hexa layer, & & an impact on \\  & post-induction & EV-induced PCOS, (3) a & oxidative stress & \(\uparrow\) number of corpus & & ovarian histology \\  & SISAF & treatment group & markers, & luteum cells, and & & in rats with \\  & & treatment for receiving SISAF & & inflammatory & \(\uparrow\) granulosa cells in & EV-induced PCOS, by reducing \\  & & 21 days, after & 50 mg/kg by gavage for & cytokines, and & rats with PCOS. Soy & oxidative stress \\  & & 60-day & 21 days, (4) a treatment & ovarian histology & isoflav & markers and \\  & EV-induction & group receiving SISAF & in rats with & improved & & increasing TAC in \\  & & of PCOS & 100 mg/kg by gavage & EV-induced PCOS. & inflammation & & rats with PCOS. \\  & & & for 21 days & & & \\  & & & & & \\  & & Major compounds in the & & & & \\  & & SISAF were genistein, & & & \\  & & & daidzein, and glycitein. & & & \\ \hline  & & 20 female Wistar rats, & & & \\  & & including 15 rats with & & & \\  & Experimental & EV-induced PCOS; & & & & \\  & animal study; & divided into 4 groups & & & \\  & post-induction & (\(n=4/\text{each}\)): (1) control & & & \\  & & group, no intervention; & & & \\  & treatment, & (2) EV-induced PCOS & & & \\  & 14-day & (60 days); (3) rats & oxidative stress & MDA levels; and & antioxidant activity \\  & treatment after & without PCOS, treated & markers (see & other metabolic and & and scavenging \\  & 60-day PCOS & with genistein (14 days); & & inflammatory & levels of oxidants \\  & EV-induction & (4): EV-induced PCOS & PCOS rats & markers (see & in PCOS rats. \\  & & rats (60 days), treated & & & \\  & & with genistein (14 days) & & & \\ \hline  & & 40 female & & & \\  & & Sprague-Dawley rats, & & & \\  & & including 30 rats with & & & \\  & & letrozole-induced PCOS, & & & \\  & & divided into 4 groups & & & \\  & & (\(n=10/\text{each}\)): & & & \\  & & healthy rats; & & & \\  & Experimental & & (2) PCOS-induced rats & & \\  & animal study; & that received normal & metformin on & & \\  & & saline by gavage; & ovarian histology, & & \\  & & (3) PCOS-induced rats & oxidative stress, & & \\  & & treated with 150 mg/kg & & & \\  & & of metformin dissolved & metabolic panel & & \\  & & in normal saline by & parameters. & & \\  & & gavage; (4) PCOS-induced rats & & & \\  & & supplemented with & & \\  & & 20 mg/kg of genistein & & & \\  & & dissolved in 1\% & & \\  & & methylcellulose solution & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
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Table 2: _Cont._One of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of PCOS and associated metabolic disorders is metformin [136]. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of cysts in groups treated with both metformin and genistein, resulting in the appearance of normal follicles and corpus luteum. However, despite treatment, the number of follicles remained significantly higher than in the control group [136]. [PERSON] et al. [137] report that the reduction in ovarian weight and volume, the reduction in the number of atretic follicles, and the improvement in follicle quality in the groups treated with soy isoflav and metformin were similar. At the same time, the reduction in T, LH, and LH/FSH ratios, as well as the increase in E2 and FSH concentrations, were similar between the metformin and soy isoflav groups [137]. However, it is important to remember that studies on animal models rely on pharmacologically induced PCOS.