Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the most common disorder for women during their reproductive years, but it doesn’t have to be. Asian cultures have been using Chinese herbs as medicines to treat menstrual cycle related symptoms for centuries. Traditional Chinese medicine addresses the imbalance of Qi in the reproductive and other related organs and helps to re-establish the flow of Qi and bring a balance to the body. This allows the body to function optimally without drugs or hormone pills such as a birth control.

Often the underlying problem with PMS is the hormonal imbalance. Estrogen levels are commonly too high in relation to progesterone levels. What’s causing this imbalance? The most common cause is our diets. Hormones are sensitive and overeating and obesity often lead to conversion of androgens to estrogen by aromatase.

High fat diets, refined sugars and carbohydrates, processed foods and artificial sweeteners, dairy products and even commercially raised livestock are all a source of estrogen exposure. Limiting our exposure of so called artificial or xeno-estrogens is not difficult, when eating a balanced healthy diet and hormone free meat Not surprising, exercise helps keep the balance, whereas alcohol and constipation both disrupt the balance.

Regulating hormone levels is a key component to combating PMS and Chinese herbs can help maintain a hormone balance through several methods. Many Chinese herbs have hormone enhancing properties. One such herb is dang gui. Many studies have examined dang gui with a combination of herbs also called herbal formulas, however, when studying a formula it difficult to determine which herbal ingredient causes certain effects. Yet, we know the formulas or combination of herbs are very effective. This root is also known as the “women’s ginseng” an is indispensable for the reproductive system. Although contradicting literature has been published on the phytoestrogen content in dang gui, it does have a plethora of well established and proven actions. In TCM it is a blood tonic and has warming and dispersing actions. As an essential oil it’s effective in relieving menstrual pain. Numerous studies prove it’s blood nourishing and invigorating properties. Weakness due to monthly blood loss does take a toll on women over time, so a healthy diet is imperative to replenishing blood that is lost each month.

Chinese herbs and medicinal herbs containing a high degrees of essential fatty acids also help maintain the natural hormonal balance within us. Some do this by improving liver functions. It’s imperative to help the liver regulate the production of prostaglandins hormones and strengthen the livers ability to synthesize proteins and fat. This facilitates the bodies ability to regulate itself. Bupleurum and Rehmannia are two traditional Chinese herbs which have clinically tested and proven liver tonifying properties.

A recent study of 549 women in Australia documented results that the occurrence and severity of PMS can be effectively reduced by the use of Chinese herbs. By restoring the imbalance in the reproductive system, Chinese herbal medicinals can prevent monthly menstrual cramps, depression, PMS, and abdominal pain. If you can remove the causes of an over-active uterus and you can reduce the monthly menstrual pain and PMS. NSAIDS only cover up your pain and can cause more harm to your liver function. Chinese herbs work at the root of the disharmony.

To sum it up, keeping a healthy hormone balance is essential throughout life and will undoubtedly also help PMS symptoms. Be in control of your body and how it functions. Give yourself healthy foods and plant based medicinals like Chinese herbs and you’ll naturally balance your body’s energy and restore your body’s natural balance.

Notes: “When the balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are off, it causes an inability of conversion from linoleic acid to GLA resulting in increasing the risk of over production of PGE2 and premenstrual pain and cramps.

REFERENCES

1. Chinese herbal medicine for premenstrual syndrome , Jing Z, Yang X, Ismail KMK, Chen X, Wu T,

2 Dijsselbloem N, Vanden Berghe W, De Naeyer A, Haegeman G. Soy isoflavonephyto-pharmaceuticals in interleukin-6 affections. Multi-purpose nutraceuticals at the crossroad of hormone replacement, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory therapy.Biochem Pharmacol. 2004;68(6):1171-1185. estrogen disruptors induce precocious puberty? Minerva Pediatr. 2006;58(3)

3. Lee JM, Appugliese D, Kaciroti N, Corwyn RF, Bradley RH, Lumeng JC. Weight statusin young girls and the onset of puberty. Pediatrics. 2007;119(3):e624-e630.

4.Steingraber S. Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment. Boston, Mass: Addison Wesley Publishing Co; 1997.

5. Wiksten-Almstromer M, Hirschberg AL, Hagenfeldt K. Menstrual disorders and associated factors among adolescent girls visiting a youth clinic. Acta Obstet GynecolScand. 2007;86(1):65-72.

6. Halbreich U, Borenstein J, Pearlstein T, Kahn LS. The prevalence, impairment,impact, and burden of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD).Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2003;28 Suppl 3:1-23.

7. Medical Herbology & Pharmacology by John K. Chen, Tina T. Chen Art of Medicine Press, 2004

Cathy Margolin is a Licensed Acupuncturist in CA and has been certified as a Diplomat in Oriental Medicine from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She has specialized in Chinese Herbs and her company http://www.pacherbs.com caries high potency herbal products sold in individual packets which preserves potency. She has visited herb manufacturers in both China and Taiwan and has extensively researched Chinese herb processing. You have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged.

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Acupuncture is perhaps the best known aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in America. But an important branch of TCM is its highly developed approach to herbal medicine. While acupuncture is rightly famous for its effectiveness in treating pain and trauma, the primary focus in TCM herbology is on internal medicine.

In TCM, the herbs, as well as the diseases, are classified according to their various characteristics. As a simple example, a patient whose illness causes signs of heat and dryness (such as fever, sore throat, dry mouth and dark urine) might be treated with herbs that are considered cooling and moistening. The “cooling” effects of an herb may be understood by modern medicine to be the result of its anti-infective properties, but there is less focus on biochemistry in the traditional concepts.

An herbal prescription or formula in TCM commonly contains 10 or 12 different herbs. These would not be simply a bunch of herbs with similar properties. Instead, herbs are chosen to play a particular role within the formula. Each herb would have a specific purpose, such as treatment of the primary complaint, treatment of secondary complaints, moderation of other harsh ingredients, “guiding” the formula to affect specific parts of the body, or harmonizing the actions if dissimilar herbs. The formula is also developed with one of eight traditional treatment methods in mind. For example it might be designed to tonify, reduce, warm, or clear away heat.

The following case study reviews the successful treatment of a Blastocystis hominis infection with Chinese herbs. Traditional Chinese names are given for the herbs, using the standard pinyin transliterations.

Blastocystis hominis is a common microscopic parasitic organism (a single-cell protazoan) found throughout the world. Infection is common; many infected people are asymptomatic. Symptoms can include loose stools, diarrhea, abdominal cramping or pain, anal itching, weight loss, and flatulence. It can remain in the intestines for years, and is typically not treated if there are no symptoms. Infection rates are higher in developing areas, and in places with inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene.

Standard treatments include the antibiotic metronidazole (Flagyl), a combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (e.g. Bactrim, Septra) and the antiprotozoal iodoquinol (e.g. Yodoxin). Response to medication for blastocystosis varies greatly, and symptoms may not improve, even with elimination of the parasite.

The patient in this case was a 51 year old female in overall good health, physically fit, with an athletic build. In the course of trying to discover the cause of her intermittent abdominal pain (particularly in the lower left quadrant) she was diagnosed with blastocystosis. She may have contracted the infection during a visit to India. As the patient was reluctant to take the course of Flagyl that was suggested by her medical doctor, she sought alternative treatment.

She was evaluated according to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, but her positive diagnosis of B. hominis infection was also taken into consideration. A classic TCM herbal formula (Shao Yao Tang) was chosen as the basis of her prescription, but this was modified according to input from modern research. An important influence was the study In vitro response of Blastocystis hominis against traditional Chinese Medicine conducted by the Department of Parasitology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, P.R.C.. In this study of 20 crude extracts of Chinese herbals, the extracts of Coptis chinensis [Huang Lian] and Brucea javanica [Ya Dan Zi] were found to be most active against B. hominis.

The patient was treated for one week with the following herbal formula. The quantities refer to grams of concentrated (5:1) powdered herbal extracts.

bai shao 14 g

dang gui 7 g

gan cao 7 g

haung lian 14 g

huang qin 7 g

da huang 3 g

mu xiang 4 g

zhi shi 3 g

rou gui 4 g

ya dan zi 14 g

Dosage was 3.5 g, 3 times daily for one week. After one week, the patient reported improvement in the abdominal pain, but ongoing problems with constipation. The formula was modified slightly as follows:

bai shao 13 g

dang gui 6 g

gan cao 6 g

haung lian 13 g

huang qin 6 g

da huang 5 g

mu xiang 4 g

zhi shi 3 g

rou gui 3 g

ya dan zi 13 g

huo ma ren 5 g

Dosage for the second week was again 3.5 g, 3 times daily for one week.

About two weeks after completing the herbal treatment, the patient was retested and found completely clear of B. hominis. This concluded the successful treatment with Chinese herbs of a verifiable digestive tract infection. TCM is often noted for its usefulness against so-called functional diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, where there is no known organic cause of the dysfunction. This case offers an example of how effective Chinese herbal treatments can be against verifiable microbial infections as well.

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