The Kampo Thearapy for Premenstrual Syndrome

Abstract

To establish simple therapy for premenstrual syndrome using traditional herbal medicines, we reviewed 65 patients treated with such medicines. Premenstrual syndrome was diagnosed from the history. Since fluid retention caused by ovarian steroids may be important in premenstrual syndrome, the herbal medicines used were four diuretics (ryokei-jukkanto, toki-shakuyaku-san, gorei-san, and hange-byakujutsu-temmato). Ryokei-jukkanto was used for mental symptoms including anxiety and vertigo, toki-shakuyaku-san was used for lower abdominal pain, gorei-san for headache without chills, and hange-byakujutsu-temmato for headache with chills. These medicines were combined for some symptoms. Treatment was effective in 36 out of 45 patients who could be evaluated (77.8%). Among them, 34 patients received herbal medicines alone and two were also given anxiolytics. The most effective treatment was ryokei-jukkanto monotherapy in 11 patients, followed by ryokei-jukkanto plus toki-shakuyaku-san in nine patients. Ryokei-jukkanto was prescribed for 23 patients, followed by toki-shakuyaku-san for 16, gorei-san for 9, and hange-byakujutsu-temmato 3. Ten patients did not respond to initial therapy: two responded to other agents and eight were lost to follow up. When herbal medicines are used for premenstrual syndrome, psychotropic formulations are generally selected, but fluid retention induced by ovarian steroids should also be remembered.