Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex syndrome characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. It affects 10–13% of women of reproductive age, with 70% of cases remaining undiagnosed. The syndrome remains a hot topic among researchers, particularly following the renaming of PCOS to PMOS in 2026. This development became a turning point for the Curcuwin PKM-RE Team in addressing PCOS through a dual-target approach focusing on inflammation and insulin resistance.
Curcumin and Cinnamon Extract (Cinnamomum burmannii) were selected as the formulations in this study, based on their active compounds that have shown promising potential in previous studies.
Apriani, Head of the Curcuwin Team, explained, “Previous studies on curcumin and cinnamon extract (Cinnamomum burmannii) have generally focused on a single target. The novelty of our research lies in combining these two ingredients to address two targets, namely inflammation and insulin resistance.”
The research began with the collection, identification, and extraction of cinnamon bark using Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction (UAE). Naafi’, a member of the team, stated, “The cinnamon has been botanically identified at the Plant Systematics Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, UGM. The cinnamon extraction was then carried out at the Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, UGM.”
The study continued with letrozole induction. “Letrozole induction was carried out for 21 days to establish a PCOS rat model,” said Anisa, a member of the team.
The research then proceeded to the in vivo study. Arline, a member of the team, explained, “The in vivo testing was conducted using five groups of rats receiving five different treatments: negative control, positive control, curcumin treatment, cinnamon extract treatment, and a combination of curcumin and cinnamon extract.”
The subsequent assessments included blood glucose measurement, insulin level analysis through pancreatic immunohistochemistry (IHC), estrous cycle analysis using vaginal smears, ovarian histological examination, and evaluation of TNF-α expression through IHC staining of the ovaries.
“This research, which has been conducted for approximately three months, is now nearing completion. At present, our team is processing the data and analyzing the research findings,” said Nadhifah, a member of the team.
The research was conducted by Apriani Nurjanah, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Nadhifah Eka Prastuti, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Arline Ermanissa Rezkyanti, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Naafi’ Noor Nafiza Novikh, Faculty of Pharmacy; and Annisa Fajra Humaira, under the supervision of Dr. drh. Vista Budiariati, M.Si. The research is expected to serve as a bridge of knowledge and contribute to future studies in this field.
This research supports several SDGs points such as SDG point 3 Good Health and Well-Beings, SDG point 4 Quality Education, SDG point 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG point 15 Life on Land and SDG point 17 Partnership for the Goals.
Author: Apriani Nurjanah
