CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2021; 43(02): 126-130
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721857
Original Article
Menopause

The Effectiveness of Melissa Officinalis L. versus Citalopram on Quality of Life of Menopausal Women with Sleep Disorder: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

1   Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yas Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yas Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
3   Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Alborz, Iran
,
4   Valie-Asr Reproductive Health Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective The present study aimed to assess the effect of Melissa Officinalis L. (a combination of lemon balm with fennel fruit extract) compared with citalopram and placebo on the quality of life of postmenopausal women with sleep disturbance.

Methods The present study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo clinical trial among 60 postmenopausal women with sleep disturbance who were referred to a university hospital from 2017 to 2019. The participants were randomized to receive M. Officinalis L. (500 mg daily), citalopram (30 mg) or placebo once daily for 8 weeks. The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire was self-completed by each participant at baseline and after 8 weeks of the intervention and was compared between groups.

Results The mean for all MENQOL domain scores were significantly improved in the M. Officinalis L. group compared with citalopram and placebo (p < 0.001). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) after 8 weeks in the M. Officinalis L., citalopram and placebo groups was 2.2 ± 0.84 versus 0.56 ± 0.58 versus 0.36 ± 0.55 in the vasomotor (p < 0.001), 1.02 ± 0.6 versus 0.28 ± 0.2 versus 0.17 ± 0.1 in the psychomotor-social (p < 0.001), 0.76 ± 0.4 versus 0.25 ± 0.1 versus 0.11 ± 0.1 in the physical and 2.3 ± 1.0 versus 0.35 ± 0.5 versus 0.41 ± 0.5 in the sexual domain, respectively.

Conclusions The results revealed that M. Officinalis L. may be recommended for improving the quality of life of menopausal women with sleep disturbance.

Trial registration The present study was registered by the name “Comparison of the efficacy of citalopram and compound of Asperugo procumbens and foeniculum vulgare in treatment of menopausal disorders” with the code IRCT2013072714174N1 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT).

Contributions

Shirazi M: study conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, critical revision; Jalalian M. N.: analysis and interpretation of data; Abed M.: drafting of the manuscript; Ghaemi M: analysis and interpretation of data, critical revision. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.




Publication History

Received: 06 February 2020

Accepted: 23 October 2020

Article published online:
19 January 2021

© 2021. Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil