Cimicifuga racemosa treatment and health related quality of life in post-menopausal Spanish women.

Objective: The effect of Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) treatment was evaluated in healthy symptomatic post-menopausal women using the Cervantes health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) scale.

Design: A prospective observational study was carried out in 122 healthy symptomatic post-menopausal Spanish women with elevated body weight, aged between 45 and 59 years. Three groups were formed according to age intervals. Each patient completed the Cervantes HR-QoL scale before and after CR treatment (20 mg, twice a day for 3 months). Changes in Cervantes scale global quality of life scores as well as in their domains (menopause and health, psychic, sexuality and couple relationship) were analysed.

Results: The CR treatment ameliorated global quality of life in both the whole group of patients and when women were analysed by age subgroups. There were significant positive changes in Z scores for the Cervantes HR-QoL scale 'menopause and health', and 'psychic' domains in both the entire population and by age groups. The 'sexuality domain' significantly improved when the entire population was assessed, but not when each age-group was separately analysed; while there were no changes in 'couple relationship domain' scores.

Conclusion: CR treatment increased both global quality of life and the four domains of the Cervantes HR-QoL scale, being an effective treatment to reduce symptoms in post-menopausal woman with elevated body weight.