Therapeutic and herbal approaches in the management of pituitary disorders and tumours: An overview

Abstract

The pituitary gland, often referred to as the hypophysis or the “MASTER GLAND”, plays a key role in regulating essential physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, reproduction, and stress responses. Its dual embryological origin gives rise to two different functional lodes: Anterior pituitary gland (adenohypophysis) and posterior pituitary gland (neurohypophysis), each responsible for the synthesis or release of key hormones that help in regulating and controlling body function. Hormones of the anterior pituitary gland are Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Growth Hormone (GH), Prolactin (PRL), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). Posterior pituitary gland hormones are oxytocin, antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as vasopressin. Disorders of the pituitary gland arise from structural, functional, inflammatory, infectious and genetic abnormalities and present with diverse clinical manifestations such as hormone excess, deficiency or mass-related symptoms. The pituitary gland dysfunction can cause a range of disorders such as pituitary adenomas (prolactinomas, somatotroph adenomas, corticotroph adenomas, non-functional adenomas), Hypopituitarism, central diabetes insipidus, hypophysitis, Pituitary abscess, and genetic disorders. Current therapeutic approaches primarily rely on Conventional pharmacological treatment, such as dopamine agonists, somatostatin analogues, steroidogenesis inhibitors, hormone replacement therapies and immunosuppressing agents, antimicrobial, and targeted agents like GH receptor agonists. Additionally, recent preclinical studies highlight promising plant-derived compounds such as triptolide, silibinin, curcumin, paeoniflorin, and liquirtrin, which show antiproliferation, anti-inflammatory and hormone-modulating effects in different pituitary tumour models. This review summarises current Conventional pharmacological treatment and emerging plant-derived compounds, emphasising future prospects for more targeted and safer therapeutics in pituitary disorders.