Abstract / Summary
Climacteric syndrome is a symptom complex that develops during the menopausal transition and postmenopause as a consequence of declining ovarian oestrogen production, affecting vasomotor, neuropsychiatric, urogenital and metabolic domains. Although menopausal hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for moderate-to-severe symptoms, concerns about its risks and a substantial proportion of women who prefer non-hormonal options have sustained interest in traditional and herbal medicine. The aim of this narrative review was to summarise the current evidence on plant-based and traditional-medicine methods used for the correction of climacteric syndrome and to describe the symptom domains they most frequently address. Published reviews, meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials were examined to characterise the most commonly studied botanicals, their proposed mechanisms of action and the consistency of reported effects. The literature indicates that phytoestrogen-containing plants, particularly soy isoflavones, together with black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), Hypericum perforatum, Salvia officinalis and Foeniculum vulgare, are the most extensively investigated. Reported effects are most consistent for vasomotor symptoms, while evidence for urogenital, metabolic and sexual outcomes is more limited and heterogeneous. Overall, traditional-medicine methods represent a promising but evidentially uneven option, and standardised, adequately powered trials are required before firm clinical recommendations can be made.