Effects of Anise Abstract on Menopausal Hot Flashes

Respecting the incidence of hot flashes in postmenopaused women and its effect on their socioeconomic lives and the controversies regarding its treatment, this double-blind clinical trial was conducted to determine the effects of Anise abstract on hot flashes in these women referring to rural and urban health centers of Qazvin province during 2006. 72 postmenopausal women with hot flashes at different severities were randomly selected according to pre-determined criteria and divided into two groups of experimental and control. Their medical records at health centers were used for sampling. Each woman in the experimental group took a capsule containing 100 mg Anise 3 times a day while, in the control group, women took 3 placebo capsules, each containing 330 mg starch. They took the capsules over 4 weeks. Before taking the capsules, they were assessed for a week about the frequency of hot flashes and the types of food they took. Data were collected by a questionnaire and an information form. Content and test-retest methods were used for validity and reliability of the tools. ANOVA and t-student test were applied for statistical analysis. Demographic information of the subjects included: mean age=51.63, amenorrhea duration=2.39, body mass index=27.13, number of pregnancies=6.56, percentage of the married=95.8 and percentage of primary education=37.7. 80.6% of hot flashes occurred at nights. In the experimental group, the frequency and severity of hot flashes before treatment were 4.21% and 56.21% and, after that, were 1.06% and 14.44% at the end of the fourth week, respectively. There was no significant change in the frequency and severity of hot flashes in the control group. Anise is effective on the frequency and severity of hot flashes in postmenopaused women. These women can be taught to choose different alleviating methods, preferably. Further studies with longer duration of treatment for assessing hot flashes are warranted