Conservative management for perimenopausal women with uterine leiomyomas using Chinese herbal medicines and synthetic analogs of gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Abstract

The effects of a long-term intranasal administration of each of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs, buserelin and nafarelin on uterine leiomyomas after conservative treatment using Chinese herbal medicines, Keishi-bukuryo-gan and Shakuyaku-kanzo-to were investigated in 30 perimenopausal women with leiomyomas. Hypermenorrhea and/or dysmenorrhea as a chief complaint was moderately improved by the treatment using Chinese herbal medicines in more than 60% of the patients with less than fist-sized leiomyomas, but not the over fist-sized. Afterwards, continuous treatment using analogs produced a long-term reduction in leiomyomas (less than 60%) along with decreases in the serum levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and the tumor marker CA-125, and adverse effects including slight boneloss. Long-term treatment using Chinese herbal medicines and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs for the management of uterine leiomyomas could be beneficial for patients a few years before menopause, though possible side effects of this treatment should be monitored.