Infertility, a couple’s inability to conceive after one year of unprotected regular intercourse, is an important issue in the world. The use of natural products in the treatment of infertility has been considered as a possible alternative to conventional therapies. The present study aimed to investigate the effects and the mechanisms of various natural products on infertility. We collected articles regarding infertility and natural products using the research databases PubMed and Google Scholar. Several natural products possess antioxidant properties and androgenic activities on productive factors and hormones. Antioxidants are the first defense barrier against free radicals produced by oxidative stress (OS). They remove reactive oxygen stress (ROS), reducing insulin resistance, total cholesterol, fat accumulation, and cancer growth. Moreover, various natural products increase endometrial receptivity and fertility ability showing androgenic activities on productive factors and hormones. For example, Angelica keiskei powder and Astragalus mongholicus extract showed anti-infertility efficacies in males and females, respectively. On the other hand, adverse effects and acute toxicity of natural products were also reported. Tripterygium glycoside decreased fertility ability both in males and females. Results indicate that management of infertility with natural products could be beneficial with further clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effect.

中文翻译：

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抗氧化天然产物在不孕不育治疗中的作用：对其药用潜力的回顾


不孕症是指一对夫妇在无保护措施的定期性交一年后无法怀孕，这是世界上的一个重要问题。使用天然产品治疗不孕症被认为是传统疗法的可能替代方案。本研究旨在探讨各种天然产物对不孕症的影响和机制。我们使用研究数据库 PubMed 和 Google Scholar 收集了有关不孕不育和天然产品的文章。几种天然产物具有抗氧化特性以及对生产因子和激素的雄激素活性。抗氧化剂是抵御氧化应激 (OS) 产生的自由基的第一道防御屏障。它们可以消除活性氧应激 (ROS)，减少胰岛素抵抗、总胆固醇、脂肪堆积和癌症生长。此外，各种天然产物可增加子宫内膜的容受性和生育能力，对生产因子和激素表现出雄激素活性。例如，明日叶粉和黄芪提取物分别对男性和女性显示出抗不孕功效。另一方面，天然产物的不良反应和急性毒性也有报道。雷公藤甙会降低男性和女性的生育能力。结果表明，通过进一步的临床试验来评估其安全性和效果，用天然产品治疗不孕症可能是有益的。