--- title: How does traditional Chinese medicine work to treat PMS and PMDD? description: Research found that certain herbal treatments are commonly used for PMS and PMDD, and they work through multiple pathways in the body. However, this was a the url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/network-pharmacology-and-data-mining-approach-reveal-the-medication-rule-of-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How does traditional Chinese medicine work to treat PMS and PMDD? Study, 2022 # How does traditional Chinese medicine work to treat PMS and PMDD? Research found that certain herbal treatments are commonly used for PMS and PMDD, and they work through multiple pathways in the body. However, this was a theoretical study, not a test of whether they actually work. Early or limited evidence Not a study of people; analyzed existing data about herbal treatments ## What they did Researchers used data analysis methods to look at which traditional Chinese medicine herbs are commonly prescribed for PMS and PMDD and studied how they might work at a biological level. ## What they found The two most commonly used treatments were Xiaoyao San and Chaihu Shugan San. Most medicines used were cold herbs affecting the liver meridian, with bitter, sweet, and pungent flavors. The 10 most common herbs worked through many different targets and multiple biological pathways. ## What it means for you This research helps explain how traditional Chinese medicine may help PMS and PMDD by showing it works through multiple systems in the body. However, this analyzed patterns rather than testing whether these treatments actually improve symptoms in women. We need studies in real patients to know how well they work. 10 most commonly used herbs studied ## About the study Original title Network Pharmacology and Data Mining Approach Reveal the Medication Rule of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome/Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Authors Qu S, Qiao M, Wang J et al. Journal Frontiers in pharmacology Year 2022 Study design Study What was tested Traditional Chinese medicine herbs (Xiaoyao San, Chaihu Shugan San, and 8 others) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.811030](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.811030) Original abstract Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common disorder that affects women of reproductive age. It is characterized by periodic mental and somatic symptoms such as irritability, depression, and breast pain during the luteal phase. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is the most severe form of PMS. In recent years, the incidence of PMS/PMDD has been increasing year after year. However, due to the complex symptoms and ambiguous classification of PMS/PMDD, the limitations of present treatments, such as their poor efficacy rate, have become increasingly apparent. With its unique benefits such as syndrome differentiation and high cure rate, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has sparked new diagnosing and treating of PMS/PMDD. This study uses data mining methods, and statistical analysis revealed that Xiaoyao San and Chaihu Shugan San were the commonly used TCM to treat PMS/PMDD. A detailed investigation of regularly used single herbs revealed that most TCM is used as cold herbs that penetrate the liver meridian, with predominant bitter, sweet, and pungent flavors. The network pharmacology method analyzes the interactions between diseases, targets, and herbs. Meanwhile, the deep action targets and molecular mechanisms of 10 commonly used herbs for the treatment of PMS/PMDD are studied, revealing that it involves several ingredients, many targets, and different pathways. This interaction provides insight into the mechanism of action of TCM in the synergistic treatment of PMS/PMDD. It is now clear that we can begin treating PMS/PMDD with TCM using the target and mechanism revealed by the abovementioned findings in the future. This serves as an essential reference for future research and clinical application of TCM in the treatment of PMS/PMDD. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Systematic review, 2014 Do acupuncture and herbal medicine help PMS or PMDD symptoms? Review, 2026 Can traditional Chinese medicine help treat PMDD? Review, 2024 Is saffron as effective as fluoxetine for treating PMDD? Study, 2022 What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD? Randomised trial, 2020 How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗