Abstract

EFFECTIVENESS OF NATURAL COMPOUNDS AND HERBAL MEDICINES USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF DYSMENORRHEA (MENSTRUAL CRAMPS): A REVIEW

Darji Aarya*, Choudhary Reetu, Choudhary Varsha, Dabhi Dhruv, Ms. Jahanvi
Patel

ABSTRACT

Primary dysmenorrhea, which is characterized by painful contraction of the uterus during menstruation, is one of the most common conditions among women of reproductive age.Although a number of commonly used drugs, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and contraceptive pills with hormones (estrogen and progestin), can be prescribed,many patients state that these drugs provide no improvement in their condition or cause some problems related to the tolerance of NSAIDs or side effects of hormonal medications. As aresult, much attention has been paid to using natural substances and herbs in order to treat primary dysmenorrhea as an alternative method. Clinical trials have shown that different herbal medicines (such as Foeniculum vulgare, Zingiberofficinale, Matricaria chamomilla, etc.) could lessen pain intensity and its duration as well as decrease the need for medication for pain relief. However, since the usual medical formulations have high level of safety, more high-qualityclinical trials are required in order to find the appropriate dosage and regimen. There is ratherlimited amount of evidence that supports alternative treatment of dysmenorrhea, such as use of dietary supplements, acupuncture, and transcutaneous nerve stimulation. Alternativetreatments should be taken into account together with traditional treatments; however, it isnecessary. For women who do not experience relief with medical therapies, surgical options such as endometrial ablation, presacral neurectomy, and laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation are available. Further research is needed to examine the socioeconomic effects of dysmenorrhea on the healthcare system and to explore the effectiveness of different treatment combinations, as a multimodal approach is likely to provide the most significant advantages for women facing this challenge.

Keywords: Dysmenorrhea, menstrual pain, medicinal plants, natural compounds, Herbal therapy.