Non-randomised trial, 2007
Does Kamishoyosan, a Japanese herbal medicine, improve PMS symptoms?
Kamishoyosan improved PMS symptoms in this study, with symptom scores decreasing significantly after 3 months. However, this was a small uncontrolled study without a placebo group, so we cannot be sure the improvement was due to the herb rather than placebo effect.
What they did
45 women with PMS with a mean age of 32 years took Kamishoyosan for 3 months. At baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, researchers measured vascular age using a fingertip photoplethysmogram test and asked patients to complete a questionnaire about their symptoms.
What they found
In patients who had a vascular age older than their actual age before treatment, vascular age difference decreased significantly from 11.3 plus or minus 6.4 years at baseline to 6.6 plus or minus 6.7 years at 1 month and 6.1 plus or minus 6.0 years at 3 months (p less than 0.01). Self-assessment scores for the 5 most frequent symptoms improved from 13.4 plus or minus 3.3 at baseline to 10.7 plus or minus 3.9 at 1 month and 8.2 plus or minus 4.6 at 3 months (p less than 0.01).
What it means for you
Kamishoyosan appeared to reduce PMS symptoms and improved a measure of vascular health. However, this was a small study with no control group. The improvement could be due to placebo effect, and the vascular age measurement is not a standard way to assess PMS. Larger controlled studies are needed.
45
women with PMS
3
months of treatment
11.3 to 6.1
vascular age difference in years
About the study
- Original title
- Kampo therapy for premenstrual syndrome: efficacy of Kamishoyosan quantified using the second derivative of the fingertip photoplethysmogram
- Authors
- Kimura Y, Takamatsu K, Fujii A et al.
- Journal
- The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
- Year
- 2007
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 45
- What was tested
- Kamishoyosan, a Japanese herbal medicine, for 3 months
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0756.2007.00531.x
Topics
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