Common traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for dysmenorrhea.
Dysmenorrhea is painful menstrual cramps, which negatively impacts the quality of life of those diagnosed. The paper reviews traditional Chinese medicine's treatment of dysmenorrhea through the use of combination-herbal-formula therapeutics. These herbal treatments are effective for dysmenorrhea with minimal side effects. Pharmacological studies suggest Chinese herbal dysmenorrhea therapies likely decrease prostaglandin levels, modulate nitric oxide, increase plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) levels, block calcium-channels and improve microcirculation. Conventional therapy for dysmenorrhea, which usually includes non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), provides symptomatic relief but has increasing adverse effects with long-term use. Therefore, Chinese herbal medicines, including simple herbal and combination formulas, are perhaps the ideal therapeutics of choice.
Jia
Wei
W
The School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. Weijia@sjtu.edu.cn
Wang
Xiaorong
X
Xu
Desheng
D
Zhao
Aihua
A
Zhang
Yongyu
Y
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal