Efficacy and side effects of chinese herbal medicine for menopausal symptoms: a critical review.

Lian-Wei Xu,Lan Kluwe,Michael Kentsch,Hong-Yong Deng,Zhuo-Jun Sun,Roland Salchow,Xue-Jun Cui,Man Jia

doi:10.1155/2012/568106

Abstract

This study evaluates 23 (9 Chinese and 14 non-Chinese) randomized controlled trials for efficacy and side effects of Chinese herbal medicine on menopausal symptoms. Menopause was diagnosed according to western medicine criteria in all studies while seven Chinese studies and one non-Chinese study further stratified the participants using traditional Chinese medical diagnosis “Zheng differentiation.” Efficacy was reported by all 9 Chinese and 9/14 non-Chinese papers. Side effects and adverse events were generally mild and infrequent. Only ten severe adverse events were reported, two with possible association with the therapy. CHM did not increase the endometrial thickness, a common side effect of hormone therapy. None of the studies investigated long-term side effects. Critical analysis revealed that (1) high-quality studies on efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for menopausal syndrome are rare and have the drawback of lacking traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis (Zheng-differentiation). (2) Chinese herbal medicine may be effective for at least some menopausal symptoms while side effects are likely less than hormone therapy. (3) All these findings need to be confirmed in further well-designed comprehensive studies meeting the standard of evidence-based medicine and including Zheng-differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine.

Highlights

Women can experience menopausal symptoms beginning in their mid-to-late forties [1]
This study evaluates 23 (9 Chinese and 14 non-Chinese) randomized controlled trials for efficacy and side effects of Chinese herbal medicine on menopausal symptoms
(2) Chinese herbal medicine may be effective for at least some menopausal symptoms while side effects are likely less than hormone therapy

Summary

Introduction

Women can experience menopausal symptoms beginning in their mid-to-late forties [1]. It has been reported that almost 80% of women in western countries and more than 60% of Chinese women suffer from menopausal problems [2,3,4]. Menopausal symptoms can last for 4-5 years or longer and can even be found in 9% of 72-year-old women [1, 3, 6, 7]. Menopausal syndrome has an impact on women’s quality of life and is associated with other health problems, for example, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis in old age [8,9,10]. Clinical manifestations of menopausal syndrome have a multivariate feature, including vasomotor episodes, urogenital problems, sleep disturbance and mood disorders, uterine bleeding, somatic symptoms, vertigo and headaches, palpitations, skin formication, and sexual dysfunction [8, 11,12,13,14,15,16]. Vasomotor symptoms, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbance are most frequent and regarded as the most relevant problems, followed by mood symptoms and urinary complaints [3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion