Changes in hormones can result in an uncomfortable array of symptoms. This is even more complicated for women in the transitional years of perimenopause and post-menopause, when traditional treatments are used more conservatively. In these stages, botanical therapies can often prove to be advantageous.
Centuries of validation for three specific herbs
Although currently “less familiar” in the West, three botanicals have been used in Asia for centuries to ease the unpleasant symptoms of menopause — Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas.
With time, trials and science have repeatedly demonstrated the efficacy of these herbs, particularly when used in combination, to support the health of menopausal women.
These ingredients have been extensively studied, both for safety and efficacy. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in Korea has registered these herbs as non-toxic food materials based on the fact that they have been used as safe ingredients for herbal remedies for several hundred years in both Korea and China.
Scientific studies support safety
Numerous studies have been conducted on a standardised combination of Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas.
The blend has been tested in several toxicological studies without any negative results. In a 2016 study published in Toxicological Research, this botanical blend did not exhibit any oestrogenic activity at any tested concentrations.
Additional data from a 26-week toxicity study, conducted in a GLP accredited laboratory, support the safety of the herbal combination at a daily dosage of 514 mg per day.
Clinical research demonstrates efficacy
A 12-week, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted by researchers from Ajou University Medical Center, Korea University Anam Hospital and Yonsei University College of Medicine Severance Hospital in Seoul and Suwon, Korea; 96 female participants between the ages of 40 and 70 with menopausal symptoms were given 514 mg of a blend of Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas daily for 12 weeks.
The study demonstrated significant improvement in at least nine different symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, including hot flushes, paresthesia, nervousness, melancholia, vertigo, fatigue, rheumatic pain, formication and vaginal dryness.
No severe adverse events were reported. Additionally, there was no significant change in body weight, serum hormone levels or endometrial thickness.
Another study conducted by the Samsung Cheil Hospital School of Medicine at Sungkyungwan University in South Korea evaluated the administration of Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas, along with vitamins and minerals.
In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the treatment group showed significant improvement in menopausal symptoms — about five times more than the placebo group.
A human study conducted at the Friends Medical Group (California, USA) showed significant improvement according to the Kupperman Menopause Index and 10 common menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, insomnia, nervousness, depression, vertigo, fatigue and vaginal dryness. There was no significant change in body weight or mass compared with the placebo group.
Now accessible in Canada and the United States, this combination of botanical ingredients is available as EstroG-100, and science continues to validate the safety, synergy and long history of the branded blend of natural extracts for the effective support of menopausal symptoms.