Influence of hormone therapy or C. foetida extract on breast tenderness in postmenopausal women

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of breast tenderness in a population treated with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or Cimicifuga foetida extract.

Methods: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted. Ninety-six postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to three groups: group A, 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 4 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), days 19–30; group B, 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 100 mg micronized progesterone (MP), days 19–30; group C, 100 mg C. foetida extract daily. Breast tenderness was evaluated daily for 12 months.

Results: Seventy-three patients completed the study. Group A had the highest prevalence of breast tenderness, while group C had the lowest. More than 50% of all participants reported no symptoms throughout the period. The participants in group A experienced a sharp increase in breast tenderness after treatment, but decreased after 1 month. No significant decline was found in the duration of pain in group B. The patients in group C reported no remarkable changes after 1 month. Compared to estrogen only, estrogen plus MPA/MP led to a higher incidence of prolonged breast symptoms.

Conclusions: Compared to MHT groups, C. foetida extract had the lowest prevalence of breast tenderness. Most participants experienced mild or no symptoms.

Keywords:

• Menopausal women
• menopausal hormone therapy
• Cimicifuga foetida
• breast tenderness

Acknowledgements

All authors have fulfilled the conditions required for authorship. Tingping Zheng, Wei Xue, Yanfang Wang, and Yan Deng were primarily responsible for the implementation of the experiment. Lihong Gao and Hongling Zuo performed the statistical analysis. The primary goal of this manuscript was proposed by Aijun Sun. All authors have reviewed the final version of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Source of funding

Nil.