Prof. İlkay Erdoğan Orhan
Prof. Dr. Ilkay Erdogan Orhan holds a pharmacist degree (1993) from Gazi University (Ankara, Türkiye), 1st M.Sc. degree from the Department of Pharmacognosy at the same Faculty (1996) with a young scientist scholarship provided by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK). Then, she was awarded her second M.Sc. degree in Marine Natural Product Chemistry in 1998 at the University of the Ryukyus in Japan, supported by a Monbusho scholarship. She earned the Ph.D. degree in Pharmacognosy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University in 2002. She was a post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Winnipeg (Canada) in 2003 under the NATO-TUBITAK fellowship program. She was promoted to Assoc. Prof. position by the Higher Education Council (Türkiye) in 2004 and to full professor in 2009.
Dr. Orhan was appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus (2011-2014) and Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Gazi University in Ankara, Türkiye (2016-2024). Currently, Dr. Orhan is Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Lokman Hekim University in Ankara, Türkiye since 2024.
Dr. Orhan is European Managing Group Member of International Science Council (ISC), the principal member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS), and the vice president of the International Scientific Evaluation Board of the Austrian Drug Screening Institute (ADSI). She is presently the Associate Editor of Phytomedicine and Phytochemistry Reviews and acts as CEO of Inovabella Biotechnology R&D Industry and Trade Corp., at Health, Technology, and Drug Application Center at Lokman Hekim University.
Dr. Orhan received several awards such as Young Woman Scientist Award in Asia continent by OWSD (Organization of Women in Science in Developing Countries) & Elsevier, Science Award in Biology by COMSTECH (OIC Standing Committee on Science and Technological Cooperation) in 2010, Young Woman Scientist Award (in Life Sciences) by L’Oreal & Turkish Academy of Sciences in 2011, and Honor Award by Gazi University in 2011, Innovation Award for Women in Turkey in 2015, Science Award by Turkish Association of Pharmacists in 2016, Golden Mortar Science Award in Pharmacy in 2017, Silver Medal for Patent in International Invention Fair by Turkish Ministry of Science and Technology in 2017 as well as Best Academic Invention Medal by International Federation of Invention Associations (IFIA) in 2018, the TWAS (The World Academy of Sciences) Science Award in Chemistry (2024), Science Award by Istanbul Technical University (2024), Certificate of Outstanding Service and Achievement from the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Foundation (TÜSİAV) (2024) and Climate Ambassador Award (2024).
Dr. Orhan is currently the author of 326 scientific papers listed by SCI-E, 46 articles in other scientific journals, 28 book chapters, 4 patents (Turkish, US, & EP), 6 patent applications, and 3 books. Her h index is 63 (Web of Science) and 66 (SCOPUS) with 21600 citations.
Her research interests are pharmacognosy, phytotherapy, aromatherapy, phytochemistry and bioactivities of natural products, natural cosmetics, and sports pharmacy.
Biography and Expertise of Prof. İlkay Erdoğan Orhan
Doğadan Jinekolojiye: Kadın Sağlığında Kanıta Dayalı Fitoterapiİlkay Erdoğan Orhan1,21Prof. Dr., Farmakognozi Anabilim Dalı, Eczacılık Fakültesi, Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi, Ankara, Türkiye, ilkayerdoganorhan@gmail.com2Asli Üye, Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi (TÜBA), Ankara, TürkiyeÖzetSon yıllarda, fitoterapinin geleneksel jinekolojik bakıma entegrasyonu önemli bir ivme kazanmıştır. Hastaların doğal tedavilere olan tercihi ve giderek artan sayıda titiz klinik araştırmanın etkisiyle, bitki bazlı müdahaleler, yaşam boyu çeşitli kadın üreme ve endokrinolojik rahatsızlıklarının yönetimi için giderek daha fazla kullanılmaktadır. Bu makale, modern jinekolojide kullanılan kanıta dayalı fitoterapi ajanlarının klinik etkinliğini, güvenlik profillerini ve etki mekanizmalarını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır; özellikle adet öncesi sendromu (PMS), dismenore, menopoz semptomları ve polikistik over sendromu (PCOS) gibi önemli durumlar üzerinde durulmaktadır. Güncel literatür, klinik çalışmalar ve sistematik incelemelerin kapsamlı bir incelemesi yapılmış olup, hiperprolaktinemi ile ilişkili PMS için Vitex agnus-castus L. (hayıt), Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. (sin. Actaea racemosa L.) (kara yılanotu) menopozun vazomotor semptomları için ve Tribulus terrestris L. (çemen otu) veya PCOS'ta hormonal modülasyon için Mentha spicata L. (nane) gibi klinik uygulamada yaygın olarak kullanılan ve kullanılma potansiyeli olan standardize botanik ekstreler incelenmiştir.Mevcut klinik kanıtlar, çeşitli standardize fitoterapi ajanlarının, belirli gruplarda geleneksel tedavilere kıyasla benzer etkinlik sunduğunu ve genellikle önemli ölçüde azaltılmış yan etki profillerine sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Örneğin, V. agnus-castus döngüsel mastalji ve duygusal PMS semptomlarında önemli bir azalma gösterirken, C. racemosa endometriyum veya meme dokusunda östrojenik uyarım uygulamadan menopozal sıcak basmalarını hafifletmede güçlü bir etkinlik göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte, özellikle parti bazında fitokimyasal açıdan değişkenlik, aktif bileşenlerin standardizasyonu ve potansiyel bitki-ilaç etkileşimleri ile ilgili zorluklar devam etmektedir.Kanıta dayalı fitoterapi, çağdaş jinekolojide değerli ve tamamlayıcı bir yardımcı uygulamadır. Hasta sonuçlarını optimize etmek için, klinisyenler, farmakovijilans ve hasta eğitimi konularında dikkatli olurken, kanıtlanmış klinik çalışma verilerine sahip, standardize edilmiş ekstrelere öncelik veren kanıta dayalı bir yaklaşım benimsemelidir. Ana akım jinekolojik protokoller içinde fitoterapötik kılavuzları sağlamlaştırmak için daha iyi tasarlanmış, plasebo kontrollü çalışmalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: fitoterapi, kadın sağlığı, jinekoloji, standardize ekstre, kanıta dayalı tıpFrom Nature to Gynecology: Evidence-Based Phytotherapy in Women’s HealthIlkay Erdogan Orhan1,21Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lokman Hekim University, Ankara, Türkiye2Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA), Vedat Dalokay Str., No: 112, 06670 Ankara, TürkiyeIn recent years, the integration of phytotherapy into conventional gynecological care has gained substantial momentum. Driven by patient preference for natural therapies and a growing body of rigorous clinical research, plant–based interventions are increasingly utilized to manage various female reproductive and endocrinological conditions across the lifespan. This paper aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety profiles, and mechanisms of action of evidence–based phytotherapeutic agents utilized in modern gynecology, focusing on key conditions such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), dysmenorrhea, menopausal symptoms, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A comprehensive review of contemporary literature, clinical trials, and systematic reviews was conducted, examining standardized botanical extracts commonly deployed in clinical practice including Vitex agnus–castus L. (chasteberry) for hyperprolactinemia–related PMS, Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. (syn. Actaea racemosa L.) (black cohosh) for vasomotor symptoms of menopause, and Tribulus terrestris L. known as caltrop, devil's thorn, and goat head or Mentha spicata L. (spearmint) for hormonal modulation in PCOS. Current clinical evidence indicates that several standardized phytotherapeutic agents offer comparable efficacy to conventional treatments in specific cohorts, often with significantly reduced side-effect profiles. For instance, V. agnus–castus demonstrated significant reduction in cyclical mastalgia and emotional PMS symptoms, while C. racemosa showed robust efficacy in alleviating menopausal hot flashes without exerting estrogenic stimulation on endometrial or breast tissue. However, challenges persist, notably regarding batch-to-batch botanical variability, standardization of active constituents, and potential herb–drug interactions.Evidence–based phytotherapy represents a valuable, complementary adjunct in contemporary gynecology. To optimize patient outcomes, clinicians must adopt an evidence–based approach prioritizing standardized extracts with proven clinical trial data, while remaining vigilant regarding pharmacovigilance, purity, and patient education. Further well–designed, placebo–controlled trials are warranted to solidify botanical guidelines within mainstream gynecological protocols.Keywords: Phytotherapy, women’s health, gynecology, standardized extract, evidence–based medicine