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CARS Archives


Dong Quai of No Benefit in Menopause
Title: Does dong quai have estrogenic effects in postmenopausal women? A double-blind, placebo- controlled trial
Author:J. Hirata et al.
Address:Oakland, California
Source:Fertility and Sterility 68: 981-986 (December) 1997
Summary:Dong quai is an herb extracted from the root of Angelica Sinesis and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. In the Chinese Materia Medica, it is indicated for disorders of menstruation including menopause. It has never been rigorously tested for safety and efficacy in standard clinical trials. 71 subjects participated in this study. All of whom had experiences vasomotor flushes or troublesome night sweats for at least 6 months and had serum FSH levels > 30 mIU/ml. Using computer generated random numbers, the women were assigned to dong quai or placebo groups in groups of 4. Drug materials were counted each visit and percentage of compliance calculated. Main outcome measures included: endometrial thickness as measured by transvaginal ultrasonography; vaginal cells evaluated for cellular maturation; menopausal symptoms evaluated by the use of the Kupperman index and a individual diary of vasomotor flashes. No statistical difference was discovered in any of the above outcome measures. The authors conclude that when used alone, dong quai does not produce estrogen like responses in endometrial thickness or in vaginal maturation. It was no more helpful at relieving menopausal symptoms than the placebo.
Comment:How unfortunate. The is steadily growing interest (and market) in herbal remedies. As a keen gardener with an interest in the history of plants, I am impressed as to how much we do not know and how much promise traditional remedies offer for treatment of human malady. Sadly, few such 'cures' have been subject to scientific scrutiny and until such trials are completed, all must be treated with skepticism. Clearly, more of such trials are needed and hopefully the results will be more positive.

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