The Comparative Effect of Herbal Extract of Vitagnus and Mefenamic Acid on Primary Dysmenorrhea

Background: Dysmenorrhea is among the factors disrupting womenʹs social activities. Selecting medicines with lower side effects are preferred. The objective of this study is to compare between the effect of herbal extracts of Vitagnus and Mefenamic Acid on the primary dysmenorrhea and menstrual bleeding in female students of the University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan in 2009-2010. Materials and Methods: This Study was carried out on 80 students with primary dysmenorrhea as two-way blind clinical experience. The participants were randomly divided into three groups of receiving Vitagnus drop, Mefenamic Acid capsule, and placebo drop. Severity of dysmenorrhea was assessed using pain severity measurement tool during a cycle before and two cycle later taking the medicine. Data was analyzed using SPSS-16 Software. Results: Individual characteristics of the samples were similar. Mean pain intensity and menstrual bleeding in a cycle before the treatment beginning had no significant differences in the three groups, but in two cycles after the treatment beginning, there was a significant difference between the three and the effect of Vitagnus drop was more effective than Mefenamic Acid capsule in mitigating dysmenorrhea (p=0.0001). The two medicines (mefenamic acid and Vitagnus) were effective in reducing menstrual bleeding (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Vitagnus drop and mefenamic acid resulted in mitigating dysmenorrhea and the effect of Vitagnus was more than mefenamic acid. The two medicines (mefenamic acid and Vitagnus) were effective in reducing menstrual bleeding. Accordingly, Vitagnus herbal medicine can be used as the effective and safe medicine for dysmenorrhea.