Kampo therapy for premenstrual syndrome: efficacy of Kamishoyosan quantified using the second derivative of the fingertip photoplethysmogram.

Aim: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects 40-80% of women. Japanese herbal medicine, known as Kampo, is frequently prescribed for PMS, so we examined the efficacy of Kamishoyosan using two methods: first, the second derivative of the fingertip photoplethysmogram (SDPTG) evaluating vascular age (VA), and second, a self-assessment questionnaire on subjective symptoms.

Methods: The SDPTG was recorded in 45 patients with PMS (mean +/- SD = 32 +/- 6 years of age) before (0 M), on the first (1 M) and third (3 M) month of therapy.