# 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
In reality, the course of this disease in women can vary significantly, if only because of its complex and still not fully understood etiology. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Authors, Year** & **Study Design, Duration** & **Characteristics of the Study** & **Intervention/Aim** & **Main Results** & **Conclusions** \\ \hline \multirow{9}{*}{[PERSON] et al., 2021 [137]} & & 20 female & & \\  & & Sprague-Dawley rats, & & & \\  & & including 15 rats with & & Soy isoflaves: & \\  & & letrozole-induced PCOS & & \(\downarrow\) body weight, & \\  & & (1 mg/kg tetrozole); & & \(\downarrow\) ovarian weight, & Soy isoflaves \\  & Experimental & divided into 4 groups & Investigation of the & \(\downarrow\) LH, and & improved ovarian \\  & animal study; & (\(n\) = 5/each); (1) normal & therapeutic effect & \(\downarrow\) testosterone; & structure, and \\  & & 28-day & control group, (2) PCOS & and molecular & \(\uparrow\) FSRI, \(\uparrow\) oestradiol; & hormone levels, \\  & treatment after & group (1 mL saline p.o.), & activity of soy & improved ovarian & and reduced \\  & 21-day PCOS & (3) MET group (1 mL & isoflaves in rats & morphology and & inflammation (see \\  & induction & saline dissolved with & with PCOS. & estrous cycle; & Table 4) in \\  & & 500 mg/kg metformin & & \(\downarrow\) inflammatory & PCOS rats. \\  & & p.o.), (4) SI group (1 mL & & markers (see \\  & & saline dissolved with & & Table 4). & \\  & & 100 mg/kg soy & & & \\  & & isoflaves p.o.) & & & \\ \hline \multirow{9}{*}{[PERSON] et al., 2024 [138]} & & 156 weanling female & & & \\  & & Sprague-Dawley rats; & & & \\  & & divided into 6 groups & & & \\  & & (\(n\) = 26/each): & & & \\  & & (1) control fed diets & To investigate & & \\  & & containing 0 g lSF/kg & & whether ISF & ISF in both doses & \\  & & diet; (2) control fed 0.5 g & alleviates & reduced & The ISF soy diet \\  & Experimental & ISF/kg diet, (3) control & metabolic & DHT-induced & alleviated \\  & (two-way & fed diets containing 1 g & disorders & changes: & DHT-induced \\  & randomisation) & ISF/kg diet; & associated with & normalised ovarian & inhibition of \\  & animal study; & (4) DHT-induced PCOS & PCOS in a rat & follicle development & ovarian follicle \\  & 8 weeks & fed diets containing 0 g & model and the & (\(\uparrow\) primary, \(\downarrow\) & development. \\  & & (5) DHT-induced PCOS & quality of their & primordial follicles) & \\  & & fed diets containing & & & \\  & & 0.5 g ISF/kg diet; & & & \\  & & (6) DHT-induced PCOS & & & \\  & fed diets containing 1 g & & & \\  & & ISF/kg diet & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
39-HSD--39-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase; 179-HSD--179-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; CMC—carboxy methyl cellulose; CON—negative control group; CTRL—control; DHT—dihydro testosterone; EV—estradiol valerate; FSH--follicle-stimulating hormone; ISF—soy isoflaves; MET— metformin; MDA—malondialdehyde-p PCOS—polycystic ovary syndrome; p.o.—per oral; SISAF—soybean isoflave-aglycone fraction; SOD—superoxide dismutase; TAC—total antioxidant capacity; TOS—total oxidative status, \(\uparrow\) indicates an increase; \(\downarrow\) indicates a decrease.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: _Cont._Some of the studies looked at both hormonal and metabolic or inflammatory parameters, and their results are split between different tables (Tables 1-4). The tables contain references to other tables for supplementary results or conclusions. Data such as study design, duration, and characteristics of the study group have been repeated to facilitate familiarisation with the full characteristics of the study.