The efficacy of Iranian herbal medicines in alleviating hot flashes: A systematic review - Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 3, 2016, pp. 155-166

Herbal medicine, the use of plants or herbs to create medicine, is one of the natural ways of treating illness. Traditional medicine has been discouraged by wide pharmaceutical companies. However, many people still use traditional medicine because of its benefits and fewer side effects such as found in scientific medicine. Modern medicines also derived plant compounds as evidence for their pharmaceutical drugs. Plants and natural herbs are useful in curing illness.

Many women in Iran use herbal medicine instead of industrial medicines when the have hot flashes. Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause experienced by women.

Women are recommended to have hormone therapy to alleviate hot flashes however these medicines have side effects such as vaginal bleeding. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in herbal medicine.

The aim of this article was to assess the effectiveness of Iranian herbal medicines in alleviant hot flashes for women. The study uses a systematic review to state that soy, black cohosh, red clover, evening primrose etc, can alleviate the side effects of hot flashes.


This study shows how herbal medicine can alleviate hot flashes. Therefore, herbal medicine can be seen an alternative to industrial pharmaceutical medicines.