Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (612 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Chemical substances having a specific regulatory effect on the activity of a certain organ or organs. The term was originally applied to substances secreted by various endocrine glands and transported in the bloodstream to the target organs. It is sometimes extended to include those substances that are not produced by the endocrine glands but that have similar effects.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Hormone; Hormone Receptor Agonists; Agonists, Hormone Receptor; Receptor Agonists, Hormone.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists
- Narrower topics
- Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Gastrointestinal Hormones; Gonadal Hormones; Hormones, Ectopic; Invertebrate Hormones; Melatonin; Peptide Hormones; Thymus Hormones; Thyroid Hormones; Anabolic Agents; Androgens; Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; Estrogens; Glucocorticoids
- See also
- Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
Related concepts
- Endocrine Glands
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,429,613 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Hormones” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 173,279 of them (12.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 689,139 records.
Reviews account for 162,389 records (11.4%) and meta-analyses for 9,674. Randomized controlled trials number 52,857 (3.7%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 689,139 |
| 2000-2009 | 273,916 |
| 2010-2019 | 293,279 |
| 2020 onward | 173,279 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 162,389 | 11.4% |
| Meta-analyses | 9,674 | 0.7% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 52,857 | 3.7% |
Method: PubMed query "Hormones"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in pharmacology
Drug evidence builds in layers: laboratory pharmacology describes how a compound acts, pharmacokinetic studies describe how the body handles it, and randomized trials test whether it helps and what harms it causes. Post-marketing surveillance and observational studies reveal rarer adverse effects but cannot prove causation. This page is educational and is not a recommendation to start, stop or change any medicine; decisions about treatment belong with a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role of Liraglutide in weight management and reproductive health in women with obesity and PCOS- A critical review of the evidence | 2025 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42723672 · DOI · PMC13555055 |
| An RNA thermogenic therapy to preserve lean mass and enhance metabolic health during GLP-1 weight loss | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42789307 · DOI · PMC13643317 |
| Interfollicular communication among preovulatory follicles after luteinizing hormone signaling | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42747418 · DOI · PMC13627737 |
Role of Liraglutide in weight management and reproductive health in women with obesity and PCOS- A critical review of the evidence [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women are associated with significant reproductive dysfunction, manifesting as hormonal imbalances, anovulation, and subfertility.
- Closing excerpt
- This review consolidated present findings and emphasized areas for further exploration to better inform clinical decision-making and future research directions.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (255 words)
Obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women are associated with significant reproductive dysfunction, manifesting as hormonal imbalances, anovulation, and subfertility. These conditions not only impair reproductive outcomes but also contribute to a reduced quality of life. Crucially, obesity and PCOS share a bidirectional relationship. While obesity can trigger and worsen PCOS manifestations, the convergence of these two conditions has contributed significantly to the growing incidence of female infertility. This review critically examines liraglutide's mechanistic role and therapeutic potential in mediating metabolic restoration and improving the fertility outcomes in women burdened by obesity and PCOS. A literature search was conducted in original databases from inception until March 2025 in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science using the following keywords pertinently: "GLP-1R", "liraglutide", "female reproductive system", "polycystic ovarian syndrome", "ovarian function", and "pregnancy outcomes". Accumulated evidence suggests that liraglutide promotes greater weight loss and improves reproductive outcomes in women with obesity and PCOS by regulating endocrine parameters, reducing systemic inflammation, restoring menstrual cyclicity, and supporting folliculogenesis. It improves reproductive outcomes by increasing natural conception rates and improving responses to assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, with all the positive outcomes, the major limitations of using this drug for weight loss are the need for daily subcutaneous injections, cost, and gastrointestinal adverse effects. Long-term assessment of the sustained efficacy and impact on reproductive outcomes, including the pattern of ovulation and offspring health, is warranted. This review consolidated present findings and emphasized areas for further exploration to better inform clinical decision-making and future research directions.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42723672 · DOI · PMC13555055
An RNA thermogenic therapy to preserve lean mass and enhance metabolic health during GLP-1 weight loss [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Current obesity therapies reduce weight but often fail to preserve lean mass or sustain metabolic benefit.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings identify Zfp423 as an RNA therapeutic target and support adipose thermogenesis as a complementary strategy for metabolically healthier obesity treatment.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (188 words)
Current obesity therapies reduce weight but often fail to preserve lean mass or sustain metabolic benefit. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) improve obesity-associated metabolic disease, but weight loss is often accompanied by reduced energy expenditure, loss of lean mass, and rapid fat-predominant regain after treatment discontinuation. We hypothesized that pharmacologic activation of adipose thermogenesis could specifically target fat loss, complement appetite suppression by increasing energy expenditure, and improve the metabolic quality of weight loss. Guided by our finding that diet-induced thermogenesis is mediated by a zinc finger protein 423 (ZFP423)-controlled pathway, we developed adipose-directed antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting ZFP423, a transcriptional repressor of brown and beige adipocyte identity. In lean and diet-induced obese mice, weekly Zfp423 ASO treatment induced white adipose beiging, increased body temperature and oxygen consumption, and improved glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial respiration, and hepatic steatosis. When combined with the GLP1-RA semaglutide, Zfp423 ASO produced greater weight and fat loss than either monotherapy while preserving lean mass and improving metabolic outcomes. These findings identify Zfp423 as an RNA therapeutic target and support adipose thermogenesis as a complementary strategy for metabolically healthier obesity treatment.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42789307 · DOI · PMC13643317
Interfollicular communication among preovulatory follicles after luteinizing hormone signaling [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers the resumption of oocyte meiosis and ovulation in preovulatory ovarian follicles.
- Closing excerpt
- Together, these results demonstrate that LH regulates a communication network between preovulatory follicles rather than acting solely at the level of individual follicles.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (169 words)
Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers the resumption of oocyte meiosis and ovulation in preovulatory ovarian follicles. These events have generally been viewed as autonomous responses occurring independently within each follicle. Here, however, we show that mouse preovulatory follicles can communicate with one another through an LH-induced paracrine signaling network. Isolated preovulatory follicles lacking LH receptors (Lhr-KO) resumed oocyte meiosis when cocultured with LH-stimulated wildtype follicles, despite being unable to respond directly to LH. Oocytes within Lhr-KO follicles also resumed meiosis when exposed to conditioned medium from LH-treated wildtype follicles, demonstrating that diffusible factors mediate this interfollicular communication. Neutralizing antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor ligands epiregulin and amphiregulin inhibited the LH-induced interfollicular communication, identifying these LH-induced factors as key signaling molecules. Although epiregulin and amphiregulin are known to transmit LH signals within individual follicles, our findings indicate that they can also coordinate responses among neighboring follicles. Together, these results demonstrate that LH regulates a communication network between preovulatory follicles rather than acting solely at the level of individual follicles.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42747418 · DOI · PMC13627737
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Automated Insulin Delivery Systems and Glucose Management in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [4]
- Research article Anti-inflammatory effects of tirzepatide: a systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Oxandrolone for burn patients: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials from 2005 to 2025 [6]
- Research article Predictive value of SOFA, PCT, Lactate, qSOFA and their combinations for mortality in patients with sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Glycaemic control and variability with different commercially available hybrid closed loop systems in people with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [8]
- Research article Lean Mass Changes With Incretin Therapy Versus Lifestyle Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials [9]
References
- Shetty S, Bannur Karunakara M, Kristipati RR, Kalthur G, Kumari S. Role of Liraglutide in weight management and reproductive health in women with obesity and PCOS- A critical review of the evidence. . 2025. PMID 42723672 · DOI · PMC13555055
- Thorne AK, Waldeck NJ, Rose JP, Stachowski MJ, Guak H, Keeble AR, et al.. An RNA thermogenic therapy to preserve lean mass and enhance metabolic health during GLP-1 weight loss. . 2026. PMID 42789307 · DOI · PMC13643317
- Owen CM, Yee SP, Jaffe LA. Interfollicular communication among preovulatory follicles after luteinizing hormone signaling. . 2026. PMID 42747418 · DOI · PMC13627737
- de Visser HS, Waraich S, Chhabra M, Yamamoto J, Zenlea I, Askin N, et al.. Automated Insulin Delivery Systems and Glucose Management in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2025. PMID 40920375 · DOI · PMC12418225
- Masson W, Lobo M, Nogueira JP, Barbagelata L, Touzas P, Frías JP. Anti-inflammatory effects of tirzepatide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2026. PMID 41032183 · DOI
- Lou J, Xiang Z, Zhu X, Song J, Huang N, Li J, et al.. Oxandrolone for burn patients: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials from 2005 to 2025. World J Emerg Surg. 2025. PMID 41023744 · DOI · PMC12481747
- Lu J, Dong Z, Ye L, Gao Y, Zheng Z. Predictive value of SOFA, PCT, Lactate, qSOFA and their combinations for mortality in patients with sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2025. PMID 40961067 · DOI · PMC12443322
- Di Molfetta S, Di Gioia L, Caruso I, Caporusso M, Trerotoli P, Natalicchio A, et al.. Glycaemic control and variability with different commercially available hybrid closed loop systems in people with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2026. PMID 41024422 · DOI · PMC12805927
- Eisa N, Barood O. Lean Mass Changes With Incretin Therapy Versus Lifestyle Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2026. PMID 41877354 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.