Evidence supporting the use of: Pituitary Gland
For the health condition: Amenorrhea
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2
The pituitary gland plays a central role in regulating the menstrual cycle through its secretion of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone [LH] and follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH]), which stimulate the ovaries. Amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation) can result from deficiencies or dysfunctions of these hormones, often due to pituitary disorders such as hypopituitarism or pituitary tumors. In clinical practice, the "use of pituitary gland" itself as a treatment for amenorrhea typically refers to administering exogenous gonadotropins or pituitary extracts rather than the gland tissue per se. Historically, desiccated pituitary extracts were used before the advent of purified and recombinant gonadotropins, but these crude preparations are no longer standard due to safety and efficacy concerns. Modern evidence supports the use of purified or recombinant FSH and LH (originally derived from the pituitary gland) to induce ovulation in women with amenorrhea due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (an inability of the pituitary to produce adequate gonadotropins). However, this is a targeted therapy for specific pituitary-related causes of amenorrhea, not for all types. The overall evidence for the use of "pituitary gland" as a supplement or glandular extract is weak and not supported in modern medicine, but the concept is scientifically valid when referring to hormone replacement with pituitary-derived or analogous agents.
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