![]() for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia, and are sold in pharmacies in Europe ( Anon., 2002), and formerly in pharmacies in the U.S. In addition, hop preparations are sold in health-food stores in the U.S. (Cannabaceae), are used today primarily for their bitter and aromatic properties in the manufacture of beer. Hops, the resinous inflorescences of the twining vine Humulus lupulus L. For these reasons, an alternative estrogen therapy would be a useful addition to the Pharmacopoeias of the world. Among the remaining 44% who did not stop using HRT, 25.7% cited the relief of hot flashes as the primary factor in their decision. In a recent survey of HRT users, 56% of respondents (377/670 women) were found to have discontinued the use of HRT within 8 months after the halting of the Premarin arm of the WHI trial ( Ettinger et al., 2003). ![]() The widespread publicity of the WHI study led many women to discontinue the use of HRT. A highly publicized, multi-center study by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was prematurely halted due to a significant increased risk of breast cancer for women receiving a crude mixture of equine estrogens plus progestin ( Rossouw et al., 2002). However, drawbacks to this form of HRT include side effects such as an increased risk of certain forms of cancer ( Bolton et al., 1998 Rossouw et al., 2002 Zhang et al., 2001) and women frequently complain of abnormal bleeding, bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, anxiety, and restlessness ( Hahn, 1989 Harris et al., 1990 Rabin et al., 1999). ![]() Its efficacy in reducing vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, and in curtailing osteoporosis, has been documented extensively. Indeed, Premarin ®, a naturally occurring mixture of estrogens produced from equine urine, is commercially one of the most successful pharmaceutical preparations of all time. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is effective in alleviating a number of menopausal symptoms ( Grodstein et al., 1997 Henderson, 1997). Hot flashes, anxiety, insomnia, and osteoporosis are among the major complications often associated with this phase in a woman’s life. Women commonly suffer from a variety of symptoms brought on by chemical changes associated with menopause. Folkloric, chemical, and biological literature relating primarily to the use of hops for their estrogenic activity, and two human clinical trials, are reviewed. In an exhaustive review of the literature through 2003, only two clinical trials were identified that were designed to evaluate the effect of hops ( Humulus lupulus L.) on symptoms related to manopause. Few clinical data for phytoestrogens other than isoflavonoids are available. Some studies on exogenous estrogenic substances of botanical origin (“phytoestrogens”), such as standardized formulations of plant extracts with in vitro and in vivo estrogenic activity from soy ( Glycine max Merill.) and red clover ( Trifolium pratense L.), suggest clinical efficacy. ![]() There are more than twenty different classes of phytochemicals that have demonstrated affinity for human estrogen receptors in vitro. Endogenous estrogens, e.g., 17β-estradiol, of exogenous mammalian origin, e.g., horses, have long been used to manage such symptoms. As the population ages, there is an ever-increasing need for therapeutic agents that can be used safely and efficaciously to manage symptoms related to postmenopausal estrogen deficiency.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |