Cimicifuga racemosa isopropanolic extract for menopausal symptoms: an observational prospective case–control study

Abstract

Objective

We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of isopropanolic extract of Cimicifuga Racemosa (iCR) on reducing menopausal symptoms.

Materials and Methods

A single-center observational prospective case–control study was performed to assess the improvement of menopausal symptoms in menopausal women undergone iCR administration (cases) or no treatment (controls). Menopausal symptoms were assessed through a modified version of the Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire (mMRS) at T₀ (baseline), T₁ (1-month follow-up), and T₂ (3 months follow-up). Univariate comparisons between cases and controls were performed by using the unpaired T test for two-tailed P value with α = 0.05 significance level.

Results

A total of 163 women (83 cases and 80 controls) were enrolled in the study. The difference in menopausal symptoms between cases and controls from T₀ to T₂, and from T₀ to T₁, was found significant for all analyses. In particular, the difference in all menopausal symptoms was 20.56 ± 0.90 points (95%CI: 18.77–22.33, p < .001) from T₀ to T₂, and 10.69 ± 0.6 (95%CI: 9.49–11.88, p < .001) from T₀ to T₁.

Conclusion

iCR may be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms, both after 1 month and after 3 months of treatment. The improvement was higher in vasomotor symptoms, sleep problems, and irritability.

黑升麻提取物治疗更年期症状：一项观察性前瞻性病例对照研究 摘要

目的：我们旨在研究黑升麻提取物（iCR）对于减轻更年期症状的有效性。

材料与方法：本研究采用单中心观察性前瞻性病例对照研究, 将受试者分为给药组（病例组）及未用药组（对照组）, 观察评估接受iCR给药的妇女更年期症状的改善情况。通过修订版更年期评定量表问卷（mMRS）在T0（基线）、T1（1个月随访）和T2（3个月随访）评估更年期症状。病例组和对照组进行单变量分析采用非配对T检验, P值小于0.05有统计学意义。

结果：163名女性（83名病例组和80名对照组）参与此项研究。从T₀到T₂, 从T₀到T₁, 病例组与对照组之间更年期症状具有显著性差异。尤其, 更年期症状的差异, 从T₀到T₂是20.56 ± 0.90分（95%置信区间：18.77-22.33, p＜0.001）, 从T₀到T₁是10.69 ± 0.6（95%置信区间：9.49-11.88, p＜0.001。

结论：iCR在用药1个月后和3个月后有效地减轻更年期症状。

Keywords:

• Menopause
• Black Cohosh
• Actaea racemosa
• complementary and alternative medicine
• CAM

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

No financial support was received for this study.