Effect of Isopropanolic Cimicifuga racemosa Extract on Uterine Fibroids in Comparison with Tibolone among Patients of a Recent Randomized, Double Blind, Parallel-Controlled Study in Chinese Women with Menopausal Symptoms

Objective. Effect of isopropanolic Cimicifuga racemosa extract (iCR) on uterine fibroid size compared with tibolone. Method. The randomized, double-blind, controlled study in China enrolled 244 patients aged 40–60 years with menopausal symptoms (Kupperman Menopause Index ≥ 15). The participants were...

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Main Authors: Sisi Xi, Eckehard Liske, Shuyu Wang, Jianli Liu, Zhonglan Zhang, Li Geng, Lina Hu, Chunfeng Jiao, Shurong Zheng, Hans-Heinrich Henneicke-von Zepelin, Wenpei Bai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2014-01-01
Series:Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/717686
Description
Summary:Objective. Effect of isopropanolic Cimicifuga racemosa extract (iCR) on uterine fibroid size compared with tibolone. Method. The randomized, double-blind, controlled study in China enrolled 244 patients aged 40–60 years with menopausal symptoms (Kupperman Menopause Index ≥ 15). The participants were treated with either iCR of 40 mg crude drug/day (N=122) or tibolone 2.5 mg/day (N=122) orally for 3 months in 2004. Now, we investigated the subset of all women (N=62) with at least one uterine fibroid at onset of treatment for the effect of iCR (N = 34) on fibroid size compared with tibolone (N=28) by transvaginal ultrasonography. Results. The median myoma volume decreased upon iCR by as much as −30% (P=0.016) but increased upon tibolone by +4.7%. The percentage of volume change, mean diameter change and geometric mean diameter change of the iCR group compared to tibolone were statistically significant (P=0.016, 0.021, 0.016 respectively). Conclusion. Our results suggest that iCR (Remifemin) is a valid herbal medicinal product in patients with uterine myomas as it provides adequate relief from menopausal symptoms and inhibits growth of the myomas in contrast to tibolone.
ISSN:1741-427X
1741-4288