Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Chamomile was as effective as mefenamic acid in significantly reducing breast pain in the ninety participating women with premenstrual syndrome. 

botanicals - chamomileWithin their life time, about 70% of women will experience mastalgia (breast pain) 1. Described as bilateral pain or tenderness affecting the upper areas of the breast, mastalgia is typically cyclical in nature and presents as a normal part of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) 2. In most cases, breast pain increases in intensity days leading up to menstruation and declines after onset of menses, but for up to 30% of women, mastalgia remains severe for several days after, often affecting day-to-day activities, emotional health, and overall quality of life 3. Mefenamic acid (MA), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is the primary medication of choice for mastalgia, but given the lack of understanding regarding the etiology of the condition, current clinical treatments lack specificity and consistency 4. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomila) is one of the most dynamic medicinal herbs in traditional treatment and has long been used in the management of pain 5. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activities associated with chamomile have also been effectively used to alleviate symptoms related to menstruation 6. In a 2014 study published in the Women’s Health Bulletin, researchers compared the effects of chamomile extract with MA on the intensity of mastalgia associated with PMS (MAPMS).

Participants in the randomized, double-blind study consisted of 90 women (aged 18 to 35 years) who had a regular menstrual cycle from 21 to 35 days and were diagnosed with mastalgia with PMS. Total pain intensity was assessed seven days prior to the first day of menstruation, and participants continued to rate the intensity of their pain symptoms daily for two consecutive cycles. Participants were then randomly allocated to one of two groups, one receiving chamomile extract (100 mg) or MA (250 mg) three times daily for two cycles, beginning the 21st day until the next onset of menstruation.

Researchers reported a significant decrease (p < 0.0001) in average mastalgia from pre- to post-intervention after the first and second cycles of women treated with chamomile (10.5 +/- 21.7%, 13.7 +/- 20.4%, respectively) as well as those treated with MA (12.1 +/- 24.7%, 13.8 +/- 24%, respectively). No significant difference in average MAPMS symptoms was evident between the chamomile and MA groups after the first and second cycles (p > 0.05).

Evidence from the study suggests that the efficacy of chamomile extract in alleviating breast pain associated with PMS is comparable to that of standardized medications, like MA. Based on the symptom improvement that was observed over the course of one week in the present study, both chamomile and MA appear to produce noticeable benefits within a short period of time. Further studies are needed to understand the biological mechanisms by which chamomile extract produces its clinical effects and how the herb compares with other varieties in treating symptoms associated with menstruation.

Source: Sharifi F, Simbar M, Mojab F, et al. Comparison of the effects of matricaria chamomila (chamomile) extract and mefenamic acid on the intensity of mastalgia associated with premenstrual syndrome. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2014; 20(1): 81-88. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.09.002.

Copyright © 2014, Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative CommonsAttribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Posted February 8, 2018.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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