Short-term effects and safety of a natural oral supplement containing glucosinolates, phytosterols, and citrus flavonoids compared with hormone treatment for the management of postmenopausal symptomatic women: A pilot single-center randomized phase 2 clinical trial

Martha Villar-López, Percy Soto-Becerra, Peter Chedraui, Joel D. Osorio-Manyari, Ali Al-Kassab-Córdova, Angel A. Osorio-Manyari, José L. Fernandez-Sosaya, Edith Moya-Silvestre, Percy A. Rojas, Gabriela Lugo-Martínez, Edward Mezones-Holguín

Research output: Contribution to journalOriginal Articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of an oral herbal supplement containing glucosinolates, phytosterols, and citrus flavonoids for menopausal symptoms in comparison with estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT) among postmenopausal women.

Methods
This was a pilot single-blinded, three-armed phase II randomized clinical trial, controlled with EPT. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to receive treatment for 3 months: (1) an oral herbal supplement of 1,500 mg/d (G1, n = 20), (2) an oral herbal supplement of 3,000 mg/d (G2, n = 20), or (3) conjugated equine estrogens 0.625 mg/d plus medroxyprogesterone acetate of 5 mg/d (EPT group, n = 20). The primary endpoint was the intensity of menopausal symptoms as measured using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (global and domain scores). The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire uses a 7-point scale to rate the symptom intensity, with higher scores indicating severity. The secondary endpoints were hormonal, lipid, and safety profiles.

Results
Fifty-four participants (n = 54) completed the study. The mean, model-estimated, and global menopausal symptom scores at 3 months were 85.8 in the EPT group, 61.3 in G1, and 62.5 in G2. Participants treated with the herbal compound had lower global (13.7 [6.9-20.4], P < 0.001) and physical symptom scores (6.6 [1.6-11.5], P = 0.002) on the second month and lower psychosocial symptom scores (3.8 [1.3 to 6.3], P < 0.001) on the third month of follow-up, compared with EPT. Conversely, participants receiving EPT showed better outcomes on vasomotor symptoms since the first month of treatment (−6.1 [−8.3 to −4.0], P < 0.001). The EPT group exhibited higher values of estradiol and lower follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone since the first month of follow-up. Also, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly higher in this group than in G2.

Conclusions
In this small single-blind exploratory trial, the oral herbal supplement was more efficacious in reducing global, physical, and psychosocial menopausal symptoms in the short term than EPT. However, further studies are needed to adequately assess the efficacy and safety of this herbal supplement in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)1230-1240
Number of pages11
JournalMenopause
Volume30
Issue number12
Early online date24 Jul 2023
DOIs
StateIndexed - 1 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Citrus flavonoids
  • Efficacy
  • Glucosinolates
  • Herbal supplement
  • Menopause
  • Phytosterols

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