Author(s)

Roshanak Mokaberinejad, Elham Akhtari, Mojgan Tansaz, Soodabeh Bioos, Mohammad Kamalinejad, Nafiseh Zafarghandi, Ali Ghobadi, Farnaz Sohrabvand, Ali Akhbari

Ashrafi Esfahani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Traditional Pharmacy, Faculty of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Faculty of Traditional Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Infertility Department of Vali-e-Asr Hospital, Emam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Purpose: Premature ovarian failure (POF) includes cessation of normal ovarian function before age 40, causing amenorrhea, menopausal symptoms and general health problems. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be administered in order to prevent menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and vascular complications. Due to the contraindications and side effects of HRT and the increasing demand for alternative therapeutic modalities, we used Mentha longifolia, which is known in the Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), as being able to cause menstrual bleeding in women with early amenorrhea and decreased FSH serum. Methods: In this pilot study, we report twenty seven amenorrheic women with POF who were referred to the Iranian traditional medicine clinic in Tehran and treated by Mentha longifolia. All those patients had high FSH levels and amenorrhea. They were in their fertility age, between 30 to 40 years old. They were asked to take a cup of herbal tea which was steeped with Mentha longifolia tea three times a day for 2 weeks in 3 menstural cycles. If the patients developed menstruation, the FSH serum level was measured immediately; otherwise they had an FSH measurement one month after the beginning of therapy. Results: Mean age of patients was 36.44 ± 1.5 years. Mean FSH level before treatment was 79.13 ± 19.17 mIU/ml, and after treatment was 27.83 ± 16.14 mIU/ml. In four patients who did not have any response, mean range of FSH was 82.37 ± 19.75 mIU/ml before treatment and afterwards it was 81.97 ± 21.52 mIU/ml. After treatment with herbal teas, there was a significant decrease in FSH (79.39 ± 19.17 to 27.83 ± 16.14 mIU/ml, p value < 0.001). All patient except four (14.81%) had mensturation after taking the herbal medicine. Those four patients showed no decrease in FSH level. More of the patients who used medicinal tea achieved regular monthly bleeding when followed for three cycles.

Amenorrhea, FSH, Iranian Traditional Medicine, Mentha longifolia, Premature Ovarian Failure, POF

Mokaberinejad, R. , Akhtari, E. , Tansaz, M. , Bioos, S. , Kamalinejad, M. , Zafarghandi, N. , Ghobadi, A. , Sohrabvand, F. and Akhbari, A. (2014) Effect of Mentha longifolia on FSH Serum Level in Premature Ovarian Failure. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 4, 356-360. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2014.47053.