CASP3 and polycystic ovary syndrome: In a PCOS rat model, it has been demonstrated that berberine may relieve PCOS pathology and IR values by inhibiting cell apoptosis and the inflammatory response through regulating the expression levels of TLR4, LYN, PI3K, Akt, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and caspase-3 [54] and by the PI3K/AKT pathway [55], therefore berberine exerts a protective effect on rats with PCOS through the inhibition of the inflammatory response and cell apoptosis.