SYMPOSIA Friday, May 26, 1:30-4:45
CAM Research in Women's Health: A State of the Science
Speakers: Fredi Kronenberg, PhD, Gail Mahady, PhD, Norman
Fransworth, PhD, Alan Bensoussan, PhD, Corrine Patching, B. Hlth Sci
A significant number of women who reach menopause
will experience vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) and may exhibit a number
of other sequelae (depression, mood swings, sleep disorders, vaginal
dryness and joint pain). Approximately 25-30% of American women transitioning
through menopause seek treatment from their health care providers for
their symptoms. Since the results of the WHI, more and more women in
the US, Europe and elsewhere are seeking complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM) options. A recent Australian study found that approximately
one in two women aged 45-65 actively seek CAM as a therapeutic option
to alleviate menopausal symptoms or to improve quality of life. Much
of the information concerning attitudes and symptoms associated with
menopause comes from research performed in the U.S. and Europe among
homogeneous groups of Caucasian, middle-class educated women. However,
existing cross-cultural research on menopause suggests that attitudes
and incidence of symptoms varies considerably depending on environment,
health status and cultural paradigms around women's health.
During this 3-hour plenary session, the speakers
will review and discuss the results of cutting edge research that provides
an overview of the state of the science of botanicals (primarily) for
women's health. The session will focus largely on the impact of botanical
therapies in the management of menopausal symptoms. The future direction
of botanical research in women's health will also be discussed.
Patching and Bensoussan will present an international
overview of CAM utilization studies among menopausal women, including
a summary of common CAM interventions and their perceived effectiveness.
Patching and Bensoussan will also overview clinical studies of Chinese
herbal medicines for menopausal symptoms. They will present results
of their recent clinical trial of a modified Chinese botanical medicine
for vasomotor symptoms and preliminary data of its effect on bone turnover
markers. Their research includes the use of data mining techniques to
explore symptom clusters in Australian women experiencing vasomotor
symptoms and the relevance and transferability of traditional Chinese
medicine diagnostic categories to modern women.
Work in Central America suggests that Mayan
women have menopausal symptoms similar to Caucasian women, but have
different attitudes toward menopause and primarily use natural treatments.
Bioassay of the plant-based medicines used in Central America for the
treatment of menopause show that many of these plant species have a
plausible mechanism of action and, therefore, are potential candidates
for future in vivo and human studies. Dr. Mahady will present
her new work in this area.
American women, only relatively recently experimenting
in greater numbers with botanicals for menopausal symptoms, have to
date been primarily using Western single botanicals. These are what
are most easily obtained on the US market. Dr. Kronenberg will review
the growing body of data on black cohosh, an herb native to eastern
North America whose use spread to Europe during the last half of the
20th century, and now has returned to the US. A new body of clinical
studies is emerging, including data from Kronenberg's own clinical trial.
These new data, along with a summary of the major studies to date will
be presented along with a discussion of inconsistent results in light
of basic science data.
Although women have experimented with herbal
remedies for gynecological complaints for centuries, only a few systematic
investigations have been carried out in the US. Much of this research
has focused on botanicals that are commonly used, such as Cimicifuga
racemosa (black cohosh), Trifolium pratense (red clover),
Vitex agnus-castus (chaste berry), Humulus lupulus (hops),
Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry), Viburnum prunifolium
(black haw), Angelica sinensis (dong quai), and Valeriana
officinalis (valerian). Dr. Farnsworth will provide an overview
of the latest research for red clover, hops and cranberry, their role
in women's health and provide direction for future research in the field.
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