Qian Zhang,1 Ying Zhu,1 Junjie Li,1 Mengxue Duan,1 Hongqiu Zhu2,3 

1Clinical Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Hongqiu Zhu, Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China, Email zhuhongqiu@cdutcm.edu.cn

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of Bushen Huoxue Formula combined with aerobic exercise (COMB) on reproductive function in obese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mice.
Methods: Seventy-six 3-week-old female C57BL/6JGpt mice were randomly divided into a control group (CON, n=14) and a model group (MOD, n=62). The PCOS model was established using a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Successfully modeled mice were randomly allocated into the MOD group (n=12), metformin group (MET, n=12), Bushen Huoxue Formula group (BHF, n=12), aerobic exercise group (AE, n=12), and BHF combined with AE group (COMB, n=12). After 8 weeks of intervention, 6 female mice were randomly selected from each group. Body weight, body fat percentage (BFP), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured. Fasting insulin (FINS) and serum sex hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2)) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The remaining female mice in each group were co-housed with 10-week-old male mice. Pregnancy rate, abortion rate, and embryonic resorption rate were recorded.
Results: After 8 weeks of intervention, MET, BHF, AE, and COMB groups showed significant improvements in ovarian morphology, body weight, BFP, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and serum sex hormone levels (P< 0.05). Compared with the BHF and AE groups, the COMB group demonstrated superior effects in reducing BFP, T levels, and HOMA-IR (P< 0.05). All intervention groups showed higher pregnancy rates compared to the MOD group. Notably, the BHF, AE, and COMB groups exhibited lower abortion and embryo loss rates than the MET group. COMB group showed the most favorable pregnancy outcomes, including higher pregnancy rate, lower abortion and embryo absorption rates, and increased total number of embryos.
Conclusion: The combined intervention of the COMB group demonstrated superior therapeutic effects on reproductive function in obese PCOS mice compared to the individual interventions of the BHF group or AE group, with a better safety profile. The integrated sports-medicine approach shows promising clinical potential.

Keywords: bushes Huoxue formula, aerobic exercise, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, reproductive function