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Si Wu Tang has improved menstrual symptoms by increasing estradiol content and antioxidative effects as a result of its herbs' synergistic relationships.
2022 Frontiers in Pharmacology Elucidation of the Effects of Si-Wu Tang on Menstrual Disorder Patterns through Activation of Aromatase and Antioxidation Guan-Cheng Huang, Yi-Zhe Tsai, Chia-Jung Lee, Heng-Yu Chang, Ching-Chiung Wang
Experimental Study Oestradiol Shao Yao Shu Di Huang
In the methodology of the study, a testosterone-treated MCF-7 cell model was employed to determine the effects of each herb in the SWT formula. Key metrics that were considered included the regulation of estradiol, antioxidative effects, and the total polyphenol and polysaccharide contents as quality markers. The study also explored the potential ability of certain elements within the formula to act as an aromatase promoter, notably catalpol and other elements.
In terms of results, certain herbs in SWT such as catalpol showed an ability to significantly increase estradiol content and boost upregulation in cell culture, indicating their role as potential aromatase promoters within the formula. Antioxidant activity was also strong in other compounds like pentagalloylglucose, gallic acid, and ferulic acid. These antioxidative effects were attributed to the presence of polyphenols in the herbs. Furthermore, the herb with the strongest antioxidant effects could possibly help ameliorate menstrual disorder patterns due to its ability to prevent ROS damage to the ovaries.
Siwutang (including its derived formulas) appears to be superior to conventional Western medicine for pain relief and in relation to response rate.
2020 Maturitas Chinese herbal formula siwutang for treating primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Li G, Liu A, Lin M, Liao S, Wen Z
Systematic Review Si Wu Tang
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of Siwutang (SWT), a Chinese herbal formula, for treating primary dysmenorrhea. Among 523 initially identified citations, 39 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 38 were used for meta-analysis. Results indicated that SWT demonstrated superiority over conventional western medicine in terms of pain relief and response rate. Notably, SWT and its derivative formulas exhibited higher response rates compared to conventional medicine, with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 48%). SWT was particularly effective in reducing pain intensity when compared to conventional medicine (MD: -2.61, 95% CI: -3.72 to -1.51). Additionally, the safety profile of SWT appeared to be advantageous, with a lower incidence of adverse events than conventional medicine (RR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.07−0.38). However, the quality of the included trials was generally low, with methodological limitations including inadequate reporting of randomization and blinding procedures. As a result, the level of evidence was deemed low due to the high risk of bias. The authors concluded that while SWT demonstrated promise for treating primary dysmenorrhea, further well-designed clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to establish its effectiveness and safety more conclusively. Notably, the lack of standardized outcome measures and the inconsistent reporting of response rates across studies highlighted the need for the development and implementation of a core outcome set for primary dysmenorrhea research.