Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women of childbearing age, affecting up to 20% of women worldwide. This syndrome is characterized by a combination of symptoms, including menstrual disorders and clinical and/or biological hyperandrogenism.

We conducted a prospective interventional study that included 20 patients followed for PCOS at the Endocrinology B Department of the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology. All our patients received peppermint infusion sachets containing 3g per sachet twice a day for 5 days a week for five weeks.

The median age was 27 years. All patients initially presented with hirsutism, with a significant improvement in the Ferriman-Gallwey score (P <0.01) post-intervention. Menstrual cycle disorders were significantly reduced (P <0.05). A significant reduction in weight (P=0.029) and BMI (P=0.026) was noted despite no change in eating behavior. Insulin levels were significantly reduced (P=0.026) with no significant improvement in fasting blood glucose or insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Testosterone levels also fell significantly (P=0.003).

Mint, a traditional herbal remedy, has shown promising effects in women with PCOS. Our results suggest that it could improve several clinical and biological parameters, essentially signs of hyperandrogenism, cycle disorders, anthropometric measurements and metabolic indices. But a case-control study with a more representative sample is essential to validate these results.