Oral herbal supplement bests estrogen plus progestogen therapy for menopausal symptoms

Use of an oral herbal supplement appears to be more favourable than oestrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT) in terms of reducing global, physical, and psychosocial menopausal symptoms in the short term, according to a phase II study.

The study included 60 postmenopausal women. They were randomly assigned to receive treatment with one of the following: an oral herbal supplement at 1,500 mg (G1, n=20), an oral herbal supplement at 3,000 mg (G2, n=20), or conjugated equine oestrogens 0.625 mg plus medroxyprogesterone acetate of 5 mg (EPT group, n=20). The oral herbal supplement contained glucosinolates, phytosterols, and citrus flavonoids. Treatment was given daily for 3 months.

Researchers assessed the intensity of menopausal symptoms measured using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (global and domain scores) as the primary endpoint. The questionnaire uses a 7-point scale to rate the symptom intensity, with higher scores indicating greater severity. The secondary endpoints included hormonal, lipid, and safety profiles.

Of the participants, 54 completed the study. The mean, model-estimated, and global menopausal symptom scores at 3 months were lower in the herbal supplement groups than in the EPT group (61.3 with G1 and 62.5 with G2 vs 85.8 with EPT).

Likewise, participants treated with the herbal compound vs EPT had lower global (13.7; p<0.001) and physical symptom scores (6.6; p=0.002) at 2 months of follow-up, as well as lower psychosocial symptom scores (3.8; p<0.001) at 3 months of follow-up.

Meanwhile, participants treated with EPT had it better in terms of vasomotor symptoms since the first month of treatment (−6.1; p<0.001). The group had higher oestradiol levels and lower follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels since the first month of follow-up.

Additionally, the EPT group had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than the G2 group.