Purpose. Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common gynecological complaint among adolescent girls and women of reproductive age. This study aims to review the findings of published articles on the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of herbal medicines for PD. Methods. In vitro and in vivo studies of herbal compounds, individual herbal extracts, or herbal formula decoctions published from their inception to April 2014 were included in this review. Results. A total of 18 studies involving herbal medicines exhibited their inhibitory effect on PD. The majority of in vitro studies investigated the inhibition of uterine contractions. In vivo studies suggest that herbal medicines exert a peripheral analgesic effect and a possible anti-inflammatory activity via the inhibition of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. The mechanisms of herbal medicines for PD are associated with PG level reduction, suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 expression, superoxide dismutase activation and malondialdehyde reduction, nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor-kappa B reduction, stimulation of somatostatin receptor, intracellular Ca2+ reduction, and recovery of phospholipid metabolism. Conclusions. Herbal medicines are thought to be promising sources for the development of effective therapeutic agents for PD. Further investigations on the appropriate herbal formula and their constituents are recommended.

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Objectives: Postmenopausal symptoms are subject to many factors. Recently, obesity has been suggested as a factor of hot flush. So this study aims to report the relationship between body composition and Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), The Menopause-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) of postmenopausal women. Methods: We studied 42 climacteric women who had visited Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from April 2011 to July 2014. 42 women had filled out MRS, MENQOL, and they had taken body composition tests. Pearson correlation tests were conducted. (Correlation was statistically significant at the 0.05 level) Results: Correlation between psychological subscale of MENQOL and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) was statistically significant (pearson correlation coefficient=0.385; p-value=0.012). But other subscales of MRS and MENQOL were not statistically related with body composition.Conclusions: WHR could be an important factor of psychological health of menopausal women. So, abdominal fat reduction must be considered when curing menopausal symptoms. In connection with climacteric depression, well-designed studies would be necessary.

Objectives: Postmenopausal hot flush and sweating is troublesome symptom to most of climacteric women. It is well known that Korean medicine is safe and effective on climacteric symptoms. So this study aims to report the clinical effect of Korean medicine on postmenopausal hot flush and sweating.Methods: The patient received herbal medication, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, Gong-jin therapy, and Korean medicine music therapy during hospitalization (about 8 days).Results: Hot flush and sweating was effectively reduced after the treatment. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for hot flush and sweating decreased from 9 to 2. Hot flush score decreased from 20 to 8. Area of hot flush and sweating also markedly decreased.Conclusions: This case shows that Korean medicine is effective on climacteric symptoms.

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