Given the variety of symptoms of PMS (more than 150), it’s not surprising that no single treatment is effective for all cases, or that women would seek remedies in alternative medicine. A new review of 30 years of literature on herbal remedies sought to discover if randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on these alternatives found any of them effective. However, of the 102 articles identified, only 17 were RCTs and only 10 were included in the study: the researchers report that “the heterogeneity of population included, study design and outcome presentation refrained from a meta-analysis.” Based on this limited study, here are the findings:
Vitex agnus castus was the more investigated remedy (four trials, about 500 women), and it was reported to consistently ameliorate PMS better than placebo. Single trials also support the use of either Gingko biloba or Crocus sativus. On the contrary, neither Evening primrose oil nor St. John Worth show an effect different than placebo. None of the herbs was associated with major health risks, although the reduced number of tested patients does not allow definitive conclusions on safety.
