Paro Cardíaco

27-deoxyactein (also referred to as 23-epi-26-deoxyactein) is the principal triterpene glycoside in black cohosh, used as the standardization marker in clinical studies. It is the key bioactive compound associated with black cohosh's peri-menopausal and menstrual cycle effects, acting on hypothalamic-pituitary estrogen receptors to modulate LH and normalize cycles.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years for menstrual irregularities and reproductive health. Scientific evidence shows it modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and gonadal axes, lowers cortisol, and normalizes gonadotropins. A 2025 ScienceDirect review confirms it can improve ovulation and menstrual regularity in women with hormonal imbalances.

A. racemosus root extract was assessed in RCTs measuring menstrual symptom questionnaire scores alongside vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal women, demonstrating improvements in menstrual regularity parameters. Animal studies with A. officinalis root extract showed dose-dependent increases in FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone with increased ovarian follicle counts. Traditional Ayurvedic use for menstrual disorders is well-documented.

Black cohosh (Actaea/Cimicifuga racemosa) has clinical trial evidence for menstrual cycle regulation, particularly in PCOS. A 2014 BMC systematic review of 8 RCTs (762 women) found Cimicifuga racemosa equivalent to clomiphene citrate for ovulation induction and menstrual regulation. Its triterpene glycosides interact with hypothalamic-pituitary estrogen receptors to reduce LH and regulate the cycle.

The 2004 Skibola case report (BMC Complement Med, PMID 15294021, n=3) showed bladderwrack intake in pre-menopausal women with abnormal cycles increased cycle length by 5.5–14 days and significantly reduced estradiol while raising progesterone. Evidence is classified scientific due to human data but is very preliminary.

Normalizing irregular menstrual cycles is among the strongest and most consistently supported indications for Vitex, with German Commission E approval. A large real-world cohort (n=1700) found cycle irregularity dropped from 9.1% to 0.1% after three months of VAC. The mechanism operates via the HPO axis through dopamine-mediated prolactin suppression and downstream LH/progesterone normalization.

Irregular menstruation is one of the most historically documented and currently active clinical uses of Danshen in TCM and modern Chinese medicine. Large-scale population data from Taiwan's national health insurance system show it is the single most common diagnosis for which Danshen is prescribed. Its mechanism involves promoting pelvic blood circulation and reducing blood stasis.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia/verum) has preliminary RCT evidence showing it improves menstrual cyclicity in women with PCOS. A 2014 randomized controlled trial (PMID 24813595) found cinnamon supplementation significantly improved menstrual frequency compared to placebo. It acts by reducing insulin resistance, a key driver of PCOS-related cycle irregularity.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed extract has shown significant improvement in menstrual cycle regularity in women with PCOS. A clinical study found that after fenugreek treatment, 71% of patients with irregular PCOS cycles achieved regular cycles. It reduces insulin resistance and has anti-diabetic properties relevant to the PCOS-related cycle irregularity mechanism.

Asafoetida is a documented emmenagogue across Ayurvedic, Persian, and Unani medicine, used to stimulate and regulate menstruation. A human double-blind RCT compared asafoetida (1 g/day) versus oral contraceptive in 30 PCOS patients, assessing menstrual regularity and ovarian status as primary outcomes.

Inositol (particularly myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol) has robust clinical trial evidence for restoring menstrual cycle regularity in women with PCOS. A meta-analysis of 26 RCTs (1,691 patients) found inositol treatment increased the risk of having a regular menstrual cycle by 1.79-fold compared to placebo, with non-inferiority to metformin. A prospective study showed 68% of PCOS patients restored cycle regularity.

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza spp.) is included in the 2014 BMC systematic review (8 RCTs, 762 women) as one of five herbal medicines with corroborating evidence for menstrual irregularity and PCOS. Its active compound glycyrrhizin inhibits 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17,20-lyase, reducing androgen levels, a key mechanism for restoring cycle regularity in hyperandrogenic conditions.

Marjoram is traditionally used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern medicine to regulate the menstrual cycle. The 2016 PCOS RCT demonstrated improvements in hormonal parameters (DHEA-S, insulin sensitivity) relevant to menstrual regularity.

Progesterone is required for the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle; its absence (anovulation) produces irregular, unpredictable cycles. Cyclic progesterone supplementation restores cycle regularity in women with oligomenorrhea due to PCOS, hypothalamic dysfunction, and perimenopause. Clinical trials confirm this effect.

Soy isoflavones have been clinically studied in women with PCOS—a leading cause of irregular cycles—showing improvements in hormonal balance including reductions in testosterone and LH with increases in estradiol and FSH. Clinical evidence in PCOS is supported by RCTs.

Spearmint leaf has RCT evidence showing anti-androgenic effects in women with PCOS, reducing free testosterone and increasing LH, which supports ovulation and regular cycles. A 30-day randomized controlled trial (42 participants) found spearmint tea twice daily significantly reduced free testosterone and increased LH by approximately 30%, thereby supporting menstrual cycle regularity in hyperandrogenic women.

Tribulus terrestris has been studied in multiple clinical trials for menstrual irregularity and PCOS-related oligo/anovulation. A 2014 BMC systematic review (8 RCTs, 762 women) included Tribulus terrestris among herbs with evidence for menstrual regulation. Animal studies and a human RCT showed significant increase in FSH and estradiol, suggesting ovulation induction capacity.

Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry) has been used for over 2,000 years and is approved by the German Commission E for menstrual cycle irregularities. Multiple RCTs and a large real-world cohort study (n=1,700) showed 3-month treatment reduced irregular cycle prevalence from 9.1% to 0.1%. It acts dopaminergically on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to reduce prolactin and normalize progesterone.

Yarrow has documented emmenagogue activity and has been used across multiple traditional systems for amenorrhea and irregular menstruation. Clinical trials show it reduces dysmenorrhea pain and menstrual bleeding irregularities, and ESCOP approves it for spasms associated with dysmenorrhea.

TCM texts document amber (Hu Po) for irregular menstruation and amenorrhea due to blood stasis. It enters the Liver channel governing menstruation and acts by moving stagnant blood. No human clinical evidence isolates amber as a single agent for cycle regulation.

In TCM, B. falcatum treats Liver Qi stagnation-related menstrual irregularity, and is a core ingredient in formulas for menstrual disorders. Traditional texts document its use for menstrual irregularities including delayed, irregular, and scanty menses. No direct human clinical evidence for cycle regulation exists.

In Ayurveda and Unani traditional medicine, C. crista seeds are described as uterine stimulants and ovulation inducers used to treat menstrual irregularities, including amenorrhea. Scientific validation in animal PCOS models provides some corroborating preclinical support.

Calendula is traditionally classified as an emmenagogue — a herb that stimulates or regulates menstrual flow — across Ayurvedic, Unani, Homoeopathic, and Western herbal medicine traditions. It is used for delayed, scanty or irregular menstruation. No human RCTs have been conducted for this indication.

TCM uses cassia bark to treat menstrual irregularities, including amenorrhea and irregular cycles, as part of its warming and blood-moving properties. This is well-documented in TCM classical literature and multiple ethnopharmacological sources but lacks clinical trial evidence.

Traditional documentation of cowpea use for dysmenorrhea and menstrual cycle discomfort exists in African and Asian ethnobotanical records. The Heliyon/PMC 2024 review lists dysmenorrhea among traditional uses of Vigna unguiculata. No clinical evidence is available.

Damiana has a longstanding traditional use for menstrual irregularities in Mexican and Latin American herbal medicine. It is listed in multiple traditional pharmacopoeias for menstrual disorders. No clinical trials have evaluated efficacy for cycle regulation.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years as a primary herb for menstrual irregularity, classified as a 'blood tonic' to regulate and normalize the cycle. It is the chief herb in the classic formula Si Wu Tang for blood nourishment. Standalone Western clinical evidence is limited, but TCM use for irregular cycles is extensively documented.

Dong quai root (Angelica sinensis root) is the prepared form of one of TCM's most historically used herbs for menstrual irregularity. Traditional texts indicate it regulates the menstrual cycle, nourishes blood, and addresses scanty or irregular periods. Standalone clinical evidence in Western trials is limited, but extensive traditional use is well-documented.

EPO is traditionally used to support menstrual cycle regularity, particularly within PCOS management and general hormonal balance protocols in Western herbal medicine. Clinical evidence for cycle regulation as a specific endpoint is limited to preliminary PCOS studies, which assessed regularity as a secondary outcome.

Fennel has been used in traditional medicine systems as an emmenagogue—a substance that stimulates or regulates menstrual flow. It is listed in traditional Iranian medicine for amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea. Some herbal combination products including fennel are used clinically for cycle irregularities.

Feverfew has a well-documented traditional role as an emmenagogue—used to stimulate or regulate menstruation—in European, Greco-Roman, and Latin American folk medicine. The NCCIH lists menstrual disorders among traditional uses. No clinical trials have assessed its efficacy for cycle regulation.

Ayurvedic tradition documents the use of Lablab purpureus flowers to promote menstruation, while the Karbi tribe of Assam uses root preparations as an antifertility and abortifacient agent. These represent distinct traditional applications relating to reproductive cycle modulation.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii/peruvianum) has been used by Andean peoples for centuries as a remedy for hormonal imbalances and menstrual irregularities. It has been described in a PMC study as traditionally used to treat 'menstrual irregularities, infertility, and menopausal symptoms.' Clinical evidence for menstrual cycle regulation is limited and largely case-based, with stronger evidence for menopausal symptom relief.

Morinda officinalis is documented in classical TCM texts and modern ethnopharmacological reviews as a traditional treatment for menstrual irregularities (irregular cycles), attributed to its kidney-yang tonifying and uterus-warming properties. No standalone clinical trials have validated this use.

Regulating irregular menstrual cycles is one of the oldest and most consistently documented traditional uses of A. vulgaris across European, Chinese, and Hindu medicine. The European Pharmacopoeia lists it in homeopathic preparations for this purpose. Its estrogenic activity and uterotonic properties from sesquiterpene lactones provide pharmacological plausibility, but no human RCTs exist for oral use.

Myrrh is classified as an emmenagogue in multiple traditional medicine systems, used to stimulate or regulate menstrual flow. It has been used for amenorrhea and irregular menstruation in TCM and Ayurveda for thousands of years. No human clinical trials specifically address menstrual cycle regulation.

C. rotundus has extensive traditional use in Ayurveda, TCM, and Unani medicine for amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and general menstrual irregularities. It is classified as an emmenagogue and cycle-regulating herb in these systems. Modern pharmacological evidence supports hormonal and inflammatory pathway modulation, but no human RCTs specifically target cycle regularity.

Oriental arborvitae is documented in NLM/RxList sources as traditionally used by women for menstrual problems including irregular periods. This use is attributed to its blood-regulating and cooling properties in TCM. No clinical trial data exist.

Parsley is among the most widely documented traditional emmenagogues, used across folk medicine systems for centuries to stimulate delayed or absent menstruation. The volatile oils apiol and myristicin are believed to stimulate uterine smooth muscle contractions. Clinical trial evidence is absent.

Regulation of irregular menstruation is a well-documented traditional use of feverfew across Greek, European, and Asian herbal traditions. The herb is classified pharmacologically as an emmenagogue. Clinical evidence is absent, with documentation restricted to traditional and folk medicine records.

Peach kernel (Tao Ren) is among the foremost TCM herbs for irregular menstruation due to blood stasis. It is a principal ingredient in multiple classical formulas for amenorrhea, delayed cycles, and dysmenorrhea. No modern clinical trials exist specifically for peach in this indication.

Pennycress seeds have been traditionally attributed with emmenagogue (menstruation-stimulating) properties and were used in small doses to help regulate menstrual cycles. European herbalists including Nicholas Culpeper noted its use for womb disorders. No clinical trials have evaluated this use.

Peony root (Paeonia lactiflora, Bai Shao) has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine to 'nourish the blood and regulate menstruation,' specifically for irregular cycles, dysmenorrhea, and PCOS. A 2014 BMC systematic review (8 RCTs, 762 women) included Paeonia lactiflora among herbal medicines with corroborating pre-clinical and clinical evidence for menstrual irregularity in PCOS.

Pituitary substance has been used in glandular therapy traditions for menstrual irregularities, based on the pituitary's central role in producing FSH and LH to coordinate the menstrual cycle. Early 20th-century practitioners included it in formulas for ovulatory dysfunction and cycle irregularity. No clinical trials in this indication exist.

Rehmannia, particularly the prepared form (Shu Di Huang), is a fundamental blood tonic in TCM used to regulate menstrual irregularities due to blood or yin deficiency. It is a core ingredient in Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction), the classical formula for blood deficiency and gynecological disharmony. TCM practitioners prescribe it for delayed, scanty, or irregular periods attributable to blood insufficiency.

Irregular menstruation is a primary traditional indication for prepared rehmannia root (Shu Di Huang), which is used to nourish Liver Blood and Kidney Essence in TCM. It is a key ingredient in gynecological formulas addressing cycle irregularity. Human trial data for isolated rehmannia are lacking.

Rosa rugosa in East Asian traditional medicine has documented use for 'menoxenia' (irregular menstruation), and Rosa damascena is used in Persian and Unani medicine for menstrual regulation. The antispasmodic and mild phytoestrogenic properties of rose provide a pharmacological basis. No dedicated RCTs exist for rose and menstrual cycle regulation specifically.

R. cordifolia is traditionally used across Ayurveda, Unani, and Korean medicine to regulate menstrual cycles and address amenorrhea and irregularities. Ayurvedic texts describe its use for 'Yoniruk' (gynecological disorders), and Unani medicine explicitly employs the root for amenorrhea and menstrual irregularities. No clinical trials have evaluated cycle regulation in humans.

Safflower has been used in TCM, Persian, and Middle Eastern traditional medicine for millennia to regulate menstruation, treat amenorrhea, and address irregular menstrual cycles. It is considered an emmenagogue that stimulates uterine blood flow. Multiple authoritative reviews confirm this as a primary traditional indication.

Shepherd's purse has a long-documented history in European and Chinese herbal medicine as an emmenagogue — used to promote or regulate menstrual flow in cases of amenorrhoea. The 1898 King's American Dispensatory specifically cited it for promoting flow in amenorrhoea and treating chronic menorrhagia. No controlled human trials exist for cycle regulation per se.

Squawvine is documented in traditional herbalism as an emmenagogue and menstrual regulator. Naturopathic and Eclectic sources identify it for regulating the menstrual cycle over a period of several months of consistent use. No clinical evidence exists.

CX has been used for over two thousand years in TCM to regulate menstrual cycles, treat amenorrhea, and address blood stasis-related menstrual irregularities. It is a core herb in classical gynecological formulas such as Tao Hong Si Wu Tang. While pharmacological evidence supports its uterine smooth muscle effects, controlled clinical trials specifically for cycle regulation are lacking.

Tribulus (Gokshura) has traditional use in Ayurveda for menstrual irregularities, attributed to its ability to regulate gonadotropin ratios and ovarian function. Clinical evidence is indirect (from anovulatory infertility trials); no RCT has specifically targeted cycle regularity as a primary endpoint.

Wild yam has a long tradition in Western herbal medicine for treating dysmenorrhea and uterine irregularity, attributed to its antispasmodic and mild phytoestrogenic properties. Eclectic physicians of the 19th century used it extensively for menstrual cramping and uterine irritation. No controlled clinical trials have evaluated its effect on menstrual cycle regularity.