--- title: Can herbal remedies help ease PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: A review pulling together 18 Iranian studies found several herbs may help ease PMS symptoms, but it didn't measure how strong or reliable each herb's effect a url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effectiveness-and-safety-of-iranian-herbal-medicines-for-treatment-of-2018/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can herbal remedies help ease PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2018 # Can herbal remedies help ease PMS symptoms? A review pulling together 18 Iranian studies found several herbs may help ease PMS symptoms, but it didn't measure how strong or reliable each herb's effect actually was. Moderate study design Women of reproductive age with PMS, across 18 Iranian randomized controlled trials. ## What they did Researchers searched several medical databases up to December 2017 for randomized controlled trials testing Iranian herbal medicines in women of reproductive age with PMS. Eighteen trials met their criteria and were reviewed. ## What they found Across the 18 trials, herbs including Vitex agnus-castus, St John's wort, chamomile, saffron, curcumin, lemon balm, Zataria multiflora, wheat germ extract, Echinophora platyloba, fennel, valerian root, Citrus sinensis, ginger and flax seed were each reported as possibly easing PMS symptoms. ## What it means for you These herbs might be worth discussing with a doctor as options for PMS, but this is a narrative round-up of separate small studies rather than a pooled analysis, so there are no overall numbers on how much symptoms improved or how safe long-term use is. 18 RCTs included in review 48.9% Women using complementary therapies 37.8% Men using complementary therapies ## About the study Original title The effectiveness and safety of Iranian herbal medicines for treatment of premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review Authors Maleki-Saghooni N, Karimi FZ, Behboodi Moghadam Z et al. Journal Avicenna journal of phytomedicine Year 2018 Study design Systematic review What was tested Various Iranian herbal medicines, including Vitex, St John's wort, chamomile, saffron, curcumin, lemon balm, ginger and flax seed. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.22038/ajp.2018.22810.1848](https://doi.org/10.22038/ajp.2018.22810.1848) Original abstract Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most common problems among women of reproductive age. The popularity of complementary/alternative therapies has grown in recent years, and these treatments have been more commonly used by women (48.9%) than men (37.8%). The aim of this systematic review was to assess effectiveness and safety of Iranian herbal medicines for treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were searched along with SID, Magiran and Irandoc up to Dec 2017.Inclusion criteria consist of Iranian, published, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using Iranian herbal medicine for treatment of reproductive age women with PMS. Eventually Eighteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Results: Overall, studies have shown that Vitex agnuscastus, Hypericum perforatum, Matricaria chamomilla , saffron, Curcumin , Melissa officinalis , Zataria multiflora, Wheat Germ Extract, Echinophora platyloba, Foeniculum vulgare, Valerian root extract, Citrus sinensis , Zingiber officinale and Flax seed might alleviate symptoms of PMS. Conclusion: This research demonstrated efficacy and safety of Iranian herbal medicines in alleviating PMS. Therefore, herbal medicine can be regarded as an alternative treatment for women suffering from PMS. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)[Saffron](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-saffron/)[Curcumin and turmeric](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-curcumin/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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, 2023 Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2025 Does the PMSoff supplement help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Systematic review, 2013 Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Systematic review, 2009 Which herbs, vitamins and minerals help treat PMS? Survey study, 2025 Can a chatbot help monitor PMS symptoms over time? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗