title: Efficacy of porcine placental extract on climacteric symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Injections of human placental extract have long been used to treat menopausal symptoms. Recently, porcine placental extract (PPE), an oral supplement, has been developed for this purpose. The aim of this study was to assess whether PPE has an impact on climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six women with climacteric symptoms were enrolled into this open-label, randomized, controlled study. The control group (n = 38) underwent 24 weeks of open treatment with Toki-shakuyaku-san (TJ23), an oral herbal remedy used to alleviate climacteric symptoms. The PPE group (n = 38) received three capsules of PPE/day orally for the initial 12 weeks and six capsules/day for the next 12 weeks. Climacteric symptoms were evaluated in both groups using the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI) score, Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before commencing treatment, after 12 weeks of treatment and on completion of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with PPE was significantly (p < 0.01) more effective in reducing the SMI, ZSDS and STAI measures at 12 and 24 weeks than TJ23 treatment alone. Treatment with PPE was also significantly effective (p < 0.01) in reducing the subscale scores of the SMI for items such as hot flushes, insomnia, irritability, depression, fatigue and joint pain. PPE treatment had no significant adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral PPE treatment is another possible option for treating perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with climacteric symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takuma
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000187:drug effects; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D010924:Placental Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010924:Placental Extracts; C413220:toki-shakuyaku-san