Effect of Achillea millefolium on relief of primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Introduction Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in as many as 50% of postmenarche women and is characterized by a particularly intense pain that is localized in the abdominal inferior quadrants and radiates to the inner thigh. This study assessed the effectiveness of Achillea millefolium on relief of primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and methods The clinical trial was conducted at Islamic Azad, Toyserkan Branch in western Iran from July 10 to November 18, 2013. It consisted of female students from the university who had primary dysmenorrhea. The subjects were randomly divided into 2 equal groups and were given either placebo or A millefolium in teabag form for 3 days in 2 menstruation cycles. They graded the severity of their pain by using a visual analog scale. Results The severity of pain in the 2 groups was compared using t test. The mean change in pain score in the A millefolium group was significantly greater than that in the placebo group at 1 month (P = .001) and 2 months (P Conclusion A millefolium is effective in minimizing the pain severity in primary dysmenorrhea.