Jasaeng Spine and Joint Research Institute "Herbal Medicine 'Hwangjeong' Improves Menopausal Symptoms"

Stock photo of a woman experiencing menopause.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] A paper confirming the therapeutic mechanism and safety of the herbal medicine "Hwangjeong (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum)" prescribed for female menopause treatment has been published in an international academic journal.

The research team led by Senior Researcher Park Doori at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine's Spine and Joint Research Institute announced on the 25th that they confirmed the therapeutic mechanism and safety of Hwangjeong for menopause treatment through animal experiments. This paper was published in the July issue of the SCI(E)-level journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (IF=7.419).

The common treatment for menopause is hormone replacement therapy using synthetic estrogen (E2). However, there have been reports of side effects such as endometrial cancer and breast cancer, leading to active research on treatments with fewer side effects.

In the Hwangjeong administration group, ERα was suppressed in the endometrium while only the expression of ERβ increased, showing a therapeutic effect close to that of the normal group and simultaneously exhibiting an inhibitory effect on endometrial hyperplasia.

Hwangjeong is a major herbal ingredient in "JS-trogen," prescribed by Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine for menopause treatment. The research team simulated a menopause-like environment with decreased female hormones by performing ovariectomy surgery on experimental rats and divided them into groups receiving Hwangjeong and synthetic estrogen to analyze the therapeutic effects on menopause. Each group was orally administered Hwangjeong extract and synthetic estrogen for six weeks, with Hwangjeong extract given at three concentrations (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) to observe dose-dependent changes.

First, the team analyzed the degree of vaginal thickness recovery. For the study, vaginal epithelial cells and cross-sections were stained, and the expression levels of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), which help female hormones express and function, were observed. The higher the expression of ERα and ERβ in vaginal tissue, the more the vaginal epithelial thickness recovery is promoted, which helps suppress vaginal dryness. The Hwangjeong group showed the highest ERβ expression and excellent epithelial thickness recovery effects. Additionally, Hwangjeong inhibited ERα and the major factors affecting endometrial hyperplasia, fibroblast growth factors (Fgf) 2 and Fgf9.

Senior Researcher Doori Park, Spine and Joint Research Institute, Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine.

On the other hand, the synthetic estrogen group showed significantly higher ERα expression in the endometrium compared to the normal and Hwangjeong groups. However, increased ERα expression poses a high risk of side effects such as endometrial hyperplasia. Therefore, the research team interpreted that the therapeutic safety of the Hwangjeong group is higher than that of the synthetic estrogen group.

Additionally, experiments including leg bone CT (computed tomography) scans, body weight and cholesterol measurements, and blood serotonin hormone measurements were conducted for each treatment group. The results showed that the Hwangjeong group had lower body weight and demonstrated bone protective effects in leg bone CT and various bone mass-related indicators.

Senior Researcher Park said, “This paper is meaningful in that it proved the menopause improvement effects and mechanisms of Hwangjeong, a major herbal ingredient of JS-trogen,” adding, “As a natural menopause treatment, it can be safely used without concerns about the side effects of hormone therapy, so it is expected to be usefully applied in treatment methods and the development of health functional foods.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.