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

摘要

Objective.Effect of isopropanolicCimicifuga racemosaextract (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.