| Medicinal Plants Native to Iran for the Management of Female Infertility: A Mechanistic Review of Recent Advances |
| Paper ID : 1294-IGA |
| Authors |
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Rezvaneh Jahangiri * Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan Branch, Hamedan, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Background and Aim: Around the world, including in Iran, a sizable percentage of women of reproductive age suffer from infertility. Many people use traditional medicines, especially medicinal herbs, even if there are contemporary fertility treatments available. The use of ethnomedicinal plants for reproductive health has a long history in Iran. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of scholarly assessment of their processes and therapeutic significance. Identifying and summarizing indigenous Iranian medicinal herbs used to treat female infertility with an emphasis on their pharmacological mechanisms and evidence-based efficacy is the goal of this review. Methods: A structured literature search was performed using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2020 to 2025. AI-assisted tools, including ResearchRabbit and Semantic Scholar, supported screening and analysis. Keywords included: Iranian medicinal plants, female infertility, phytoestrogens, reproductive hormones, and ovarian dysfunction. Inclusion criteria comprised English-language articles from 2020 onward, reporting in vitro, in vivo, or clinical studies on plants native to Iran with relevance to female reproductive health. Results: Several plants, such as Vitex agnus-castus, Foeniculum vulgare, Tribulus terrestris, and Cinnamomum verum, showed potential fertility-enhancing effects. Mechanisms included modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, estrogenic activity via phytoestrogens, antioxidant defense enhancement, and regulation of ovarian folliculogenesis. However, most studies were preclinical, with few clinical trials offering conclusive evidence. Conclusion: Iranian medicinal plants, mainly through hormonal and antioxidant mechanisms, have promising therapeutic value for treating female infertility. To confirm their safety, effectiveness, and possible incorporation into evidence-based reproductive medicine, more clinical trials and mechanistic research are necessary. |
| Keywords |
| Iranian medicinal plants, Female infertility, Phytoestrogens, Reproductive health, Hormonal regulation |
| Status: Accepted |
