In vitro anti-estrogenic potential of FertiZen-R™- a nutraceutical ingredient for estrogen modulation

Abstract

Background: According to CDC, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is responsible for infertility in women with 6-12% incidences all over the world. The current treatment options available have several side effects such as amenorrhea and obesity amongst others. Dietary interventions such as non-estrogenic and androgen-suppressing foods along with nutraceutical products is considered for treating PCOS with minimum side effects. One such product of Zenherbs lab called FertiZen-R™ is a combination of three phytochemicals from three plants viz., Foeniculum vulgare, Linum Usitatissimum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, hibiscus extract and is developed as a product to treat and control PCOS. Methods: The FertiZen-R™ was quantified for the presence of phytochemicals such as glycyrrhizic acid, polyphenols, and saponins. It was further tested for estrogenic/anti-estrogenic potential on estrogen-positive breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) using an E-Screen assay. Results: The FertiZen-R™ showed presence of 5% glycyrrhizinic acid, 5% saponins, and 2-3% polyphenols. It exhibited a strong anti-estrogenic potential with 40-50% inhibition from concentrations as low as 0.156 mg/ml like tamoxifen (IC50 at 0.156 mg/ml), while inositol, a natural growth promoter, showed no effect on the cell viability. Conclusions: FertiZen-R™ showed anti-estrogenic potential when tested in-vitro and can be used to treat PCOS in women even with ER-positive breast cancer cells. However, clinical studies to determine the dosage are required to warrant the potential of FertiZen-R™.

Role of Herbs in Treating Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

“…The supplementation was continued two months, PCOS experimental group showed changes in the clinical symptoms after Hibiscus tea supplementation (Sreesha et al, 2020). Also, a product from Zenherbs Labs is called FertiZen-RTM; it was created as a treatment and management tool for PCOS and is a blend of three phytochemicals from three different plants: Foeniculum vulgare, Linum usitatissimum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, and Hibiscus extract (Gadani et al, 2023).…”