Study, 2005
Does traditional Japanese herbal medicine help with PMS symptoms?
In 33 women with PMS, 24 showed improvement in their symptoms after taking traditional Japanese herbal medicine for 2 menstrual cycles, with their average symptom score dropping from 4.4 to 1.5.
What they did
Researchers gave 33 women with PMS a traditional Japanese herbal medicine extract called Kami-syoyo-san. Before treatment, women rated five symptom areas: mental symptoms, headache, breast pain, swelling, and lower abdominal or back pain. Scoring was 0 (no symptoms), 1 (tolerable), or 2 (unbearable without medicine). Women rated their symptoms again after 2 cycles.
What they found
24 of 33 women showed improvement in their symptoms. The average symptom score decreased from 4.4 to 1.5 after 2 cycles. 4 women showed little improvement and wanted other treatment. 5 women could not be evaluated after 2 cycles.
What it means for you
Kampo medicine appeared to reduce PMS symptoms in most of the women in this study. However, there was no comparison group, so we do not know if the improvement came from the medicine, a placebo effect, or something else.
24 of 33
women showed symptom improvement
4.4 to 1.5
average symptom score change
2 cycles
length of treatment
About the study
- Original title
- Efficacy of Kampo Medical Treatment Focused on Kami-syoyo-san against Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Authors
- Keiko KAWAGUCHI, Atsushi Niizawa, Hiroyuki Ninomiya et al.
- Journal
- 日本東洋醫學雜誌
- Year
- 2005
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- Kampo herbal medicine extract (Kami-syoyo-san)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3937/kampomed.56.109
Topics
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