Antidepressant and pro-reproductive effects of Mentha Spicata & Terminalia Catappa extracts in steroid-resistant pcos – A case report and literature review

Introduction: Polycystic ovary/ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest reproductive endocrinopathy in women. Amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea, hirsutism, and bilateral polycystic ovaries are its dominant symptoms. Materials & Methods: This study is both a consented report on the history, clinical, biochemical and radiological features of on a 25-year woman who presented to us and a literature review on PCOS. Her presenting features included moderate anaemia, amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, hirsutism, and bilateral polycystic ovaries. Other included prolonged/heavy menorrhagia which started after being placed on monthly oral contraceptive pills from her previous medical consultations before presenting to us. She volunteered that the latter features were often associated with mood swings and anxiety. Her overall profile indicated a diagnosis of PCOS with moderate depressive symptoms. The contraceptive pills were tailed off while she was immediately given haematinics and nutritional support. She was subsequently placed on a twice daily hot water decoctions of 2.5 g Mentha spica (MS) and teaspoonful of Terminalia catappa (TC) powders for several weeks/months. About 7 days of commencing the herbal treatment, clinical improvement was observed in menorrhagia, and 8 days later, the vaginal bleeding ceased. Although her hirsutism and dysmenorrhea did not improve very significantly, her moods, anxiety traits, menstrual cycles and flows progressively regularized until she achieved cyesis 9 months into the herbal treatment. In the meantime, Internet was also searched using several key words centered on PCOS treatments, aetiopathogenesis, and epidemiology. Full articles were selected, perused, and pcos-relevant information was included in the report. Findings: This study shows PCOS is a highly prevalent multi-endocrine, multi-genetic, and multifactorial gynaecological disorder with no streamlined standard drug treatments. The study further indicates the oral hormone contraceptive pills – the first/default and other synthetic anti-pcos drugs have efficacy and toxicity liabilities. This study suggests MS and TC extracts may have anti-pcos effect. Conclusion: This may justify the traditional use of extracts of these and other medicinal plants for the treatment of PCOS.