Evaluation of the effect of Foeniculum vulgare fruit and Echium amoenum flower combination on the severity of physical and psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome

Motevalli Haghi, Simin Sadat; Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Jamali, Jamshid; Salari, Roshanak; Motavasselian, Maliheh

doi:10.22038/ajp.2024.24208

Evaluation of the effect of Foeniculum vulgare fruit and Echium amoenum flower combination on the severity of physical and psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Simin Sadat Motevalli Haghi ¹

Amirhossein Sahebkar ²

Jamshid Jamali ³

Roshanak Salari ⁴

Maliheh Motavasselian ¹

¹ Department of Persian Medicine, School of Persian and Complementary Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

² Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

³ Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Persian Medicine, School of Persian and Complementary Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.22038/ajp.2024.24208

Abstract

Objective: Echium amoenum (EA) and Foeniculum vulgare (FV) might be beneficial for the management of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) due to their possible effects on sex hormones and neurotransmitters such as serotonin. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a combination of Echium and Fennel on the severity of physical and psychological symptoms of PMS.
Materials and Methods: This triple-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 80 women. The subjects were assigned to two groups of intervention (receiving EA 2 g/day and FV 1 g/day, in the second two weeks of the cycle, in two consecutive cycles) and placebo control. The data collection tools included the PSST, DRSP, and SF36 questionnaires.
Results: Between-group differences in all subscales of DRSP were significant at one- and two-month time points (p<0.05). Bleeding volume was significantly increased in the intervention group, compared to the placebo group, two months after the intervention (p<0.05). Between-group comparison of the changes demonstrated significant differences in all subscales of SF36, except for limitations in usual role activities due to emotional problems (p=0.07).
Conclusion: Consumption of EA and FV combination improved the quality of life in women with PMS and exerted favorable changes in PMS symptoms.

Keywords

Premenstrual syndrome

Echium amoenum

Foeniculum vulgare

Herbal medicine

Phytoestrogens

Serotonin

Traditional Persian Medicine

Subjects