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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex heterogeneous disorder characterized by androgen excess and ovulatory dysfunction; it is now known to be closely linked to metabolic syndrome. Recent research suggests that insulin resistance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PCOS which may lead to the excessive production of androgens by ovarian theca cells. Currently there is no single drug that can treat both the reproductive and metabolic complications of the disorder. Existing pharmaceutical agents such as hormonal therapies have been associated with side effects and are not appropriate for PCOS women with infertility. Additionally, insulin sensitizing agents useful for treating the metabolic abnormalities in PCOS have limited efficacy for treating reproductive aspects of the disorder. Chinese herbal medicines have a long history of treating gynaecological problems and infertility and therefore may be a novel approach to the treatment of PCOS. Current research demonstrates that the compounds isolated from herbs have shown beneficial effects for PCOS and when combined in an herbal formula can target both reproductive and metabolic defects simultaneously. Therefore, further investigation into Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of PCOS is warranted.

Menopausal syndrome (MPS) is a common gynecological disorder around the time of menopause, and hormone therapy (HT) is the first-line treatment for it. However, HT is prone to cause adverse reactions in MPS patients treated with HT. Acupuncture is a popular non-pharmaceutical therapy for MPS, but the differences in the efficacy and safety between acupuncture and HT remain unclear. The purpose of this evidence-based study is to address this issue. Five databases were searched for potentially eligible RCTs. All RCTs comparing acupuncture with HT in the treatment of MPS were included in this study. The clinical effective rate was the primary outcome. Kupperman index, serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E${}_2)$, and side effects were the secondary outcomes. A total of 15 RCTs recruiting 1376 MPS patients were included. Results of meta-analysis showed that compared with HT, acupuncture significantly improved clinical effective rate (RR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.16, $p$ = 0.005), decreased the Kupperman index (WMD = −2.55, 95% CI = −2.93 to −2.17, $p$ < 0.00001) and the incidence of side effects (RR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.06–0.32, $p$ < 0.00001). There were no statistically significant differences in serum FSH (WMD = −1.36, 95% CI = −3.25–0.53, $p$ = 0.16), E₂(WMD = −1.11, 95% CI = −2.59–0.37, $p$ = 0.14), or LH (WMD = −1.87, 95% CI = −4.58–0.83, $p$ = 0.17) between the acupuncture and HT groups. Based on the current evidence, manual acupuncture is safer and more effective than HT and is recommended for the treatment of MPS, but the evidence for the efficacy of other types of acupuncture is inconclusive.

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Although photodynamic therapy has been extensively studied in recent years and preclinical studies have shown promising results, strategies for enhancing PDT outcomes and reducing side effects still urgently need to be developed. In this study, a series of Tamoxifen-zinc(II) phthalocyanine conjugates have been designed and synthesized. In these “double-headed” conjugates, photodynamic therapy agent zinc(II) phthalocyanine and hormone therapy drug Tamoxifen were combined via oligoethylene glycol linkers. The conjugates show high specificity, and some of them show cytotoxic effects against the MCF-7 cells overexpressed Estrogen receptor, due to the targeting and cytostatic Tamoxifen moiety. Upon illumination, all these conjugates show high cytotoxicity due to the photosensitizing phthalocyanine unit. Their structure-activity relationship was also assessed. The results show that $\alpha$-substituted Tamoxifen-zinc(II) phthalocyanine conjugates are highly promising anticancer targeting agents which exhibit additive effects of photodynamic therapy and hormone therapy.