Bridging tradition and innovation: electroacupuncture's impact on premature ovarian insufficiency

Abstract

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) refers to the decline in ovarian function in women before the age of 40, which can lead to premature ovarian failure and ultimately lead to infertility. In recent years, the incidence of POI has continued to rise, posing a serious threat to women's reproductive health and mental well-being. Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is currently the most widely used Western medical treatment method, its long-term use may carry risks such as thrombosis and breast cancer, and it is not yet an ideal treatment option. Electroacupuncture(EA), as an important intervention method in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has been shown to exert multisystem regulatory effects, particularly showing promising prospects in the intervention of POI. This review focuses on the mechanism of action of EA in the treatment of POI. First, the advantages and disadvantages of common animal modeling methods were analyzed. The effects of EA have been studied in terms of improving ovarian function, regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, balancing the neuroendocrine-immune network, alleviating inflammatory responses, regulating local ovarian blood flow, activating mesenchymal stem cell function, and regulating the intestinal microbiota. Research on the mechanism of EA regulation of POI focused on analyzing the phospholipid 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway, cell apoptosis, and oxidative stress factors. In addition, this paper summarizes the clinical research progress of different EA treatment regimens in recent years, further verifying their efficacy and safety. Looking ahead, research on EA for POI is expected to achieve breakthroughs with the help of cutting-edge technologies, such as establishing personalized and standardized treatment plans; integrating multidimensional technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and tissue clearing; and conducting systematic research on the temporal and spatial dynamic changes in ovarian function. Through the interdisciplinary integration of traditional acupuncture theory and modern life science technology, it is hoped that the underlying mechanisms of EA treatment for POI can be further elucidated, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation and practical guidance for its clinical application.

Keywords: animal model; electroacupuncture; mechanism; premature ovarian insufficiency; signaling pathway; traditional Chinese medicine.