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Lab study, 2023

Does Xiangshao granules reduce irritability and anxiety in PMDD?

In rats with PMDD-like symptoms, Xiangshao granules reduced aggressive and anxiety-like behaviors and improved social skills. This was only tested in animals, not in women.

Early or limited evidence Female rats with PMDD-like behavior

What they did

Researchers created PMDD-like symptoms in female rats using social isolation and stress. They treated some rats with Xiangshao granules (a herbal medicine) and measured aggressive behavior, anxiety, and changes in the hippocampus (a brain region).

What they found

The granules reduced aggressive and anxiety-like behaviors and improved social interaction. They also reduced the death of brain cells in the hippocampus and lowered the expression of certain genes related to stress.

What it means for you

This herbal medicine appears to help with PMDD symptoms by affecting how genes are expressed in the brain. The main limitation is that this study was done in rats, not in women with PMDD.

About the study

Original title
Xiangshao Granules reduce the aggressive behavior and hippocampal injury of premenstrual irritability in rats by regulating JIK/JNK/p38 signal pathway
Authors
Li S, Mu X, Ma S et al.
Journal
Journal of ethnopharmacology
Year
2023
Study design
Lab study
What was tested
Xiangshao granules (herbal medicine)

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