Authors
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breast periodic pain is the most common disorder of the breast which leads to
consultation with knowledgeable people like a midwife. The aim of this study was to compare the
therapeutic effect of flaxseed, evening primrose oil, and Vitamin E on the duration of the period of
breast pain.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a quasi‑randomized clinical trial conducted in 2015 on
ninety patients complaining of breast periodic pain referring to Gynecologic Clinics of Ghaem Hospital
or residents living in dormitories of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Randomization was
conducted based on the study environment. The first group received 30 g of powdered flaxseed, the
second group received two 1000 mg capsules of evening primrose, and the third group received 1
capsule of 400 IU Vitamin E, daily and for two menstrual cycles. Cyclical breast pain was measured
at the beginning and end of both intervention periods by daily subscription form of pain duration. Data
analysis was performed by SPSS 16 software and Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Chi‑square, Friedman,
Fisher’s, and one‑sided ANOVA tests. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05.
RESULTS: The mean duration of breast pain in flaxseed group within 2 months of intervention
decreased significantly (confidence interval [CI] =95%, P = 0.006), but despite reducing the
duration of pain in evening primrose oil group (CI = 95%, P = 0.058) and Vitamin E (CI = 95%,
P = 0.306), this reduction was not significant. In overall, the average duration of breast pain in all
three flaxseed, evening primrose oil, and Vitamin E groups was not significantly different before
the intervention (CI = 95%, P = 0.286), 1 month after the intervention (CI = 95%, P = 0.195), and
2 months after the intervention (CI = 95%, P = 0.667).
CONCLUSION: The use of flaxseed, evening primrose oil, or Vitamin E may reduce breast pain,
and this is a significant reduction in flaxseed.
Keywords
Ahmadpour P, Javadzadeh Y. Effects of vitex agnus and flaxseed
on cyclic mastalgia: A randomized controlled trial. Complement
Ther Med 2016;24:90‑5.
2. Berek JS, Novak E. Berek and Novaks Gynecology. 15th ed. United
States of America: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins a Wolter
Business; 2012.
3. Shobeiri F, Oshvandi K, Nazari M. Clinical effectiveness of vitamin
E and Vitamin B6 for improving pain severity in cyclic mastalgia.
Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res 2015;20:723‑7.
4. Vaziri F, Zamani Lari M, Samsami Dehaghani A, Salehi M,
Sadeghpour H, Akbarzadeh M, et al. Comparing the effects of
dietary flaxseed and omega‑3 Fatty acids supplement on cyclical
mastalgia in Iranian women: A randomized clinical trial. Int J
Family Med 2014;2014:174532.
5. Kataria K, Dhar A, Srivastava A, Kumar S, Goyal A. A systematic
review of current understanding and management of mastalgia.
Indian J Surg 2014;76:217‑22.
6. Seraji A, Salehi A, Momeni H, Kerami A, Naeimi A. The effects
of evening primrose and vitex agnus on pain scale of the woman
with cyclic mastalgia; A clinical trial. Complement Med Res
2014;4: 639‑653.
7. Dennehy CE. The use of herbs and dietary supplements in
gynecology: an evidence‑based review. J Midwifery Womens
Health 2006;51:402‑9.
8. Pruthi S, Wahner‑Roedler DL, Torkelson CJ, Cha SS, Thicke LS,
Hazelton JH, et al. Vitamin E and evening primrose oil for
management of cyclical mastalgia: a randomized pilot study.
Altern Med Rev 2010;15:59‑67.
9. Sharma N, Gupta A, Jha PK, Rajput P. Mastalgia cured!
Randomized trial comparing centchroman to evening primrose
oil. Breast J 2012;18:509‑10.
10. Delfan B, Zarei F, Iravani S, Ebrahimzadeh F, Adineh A,
Sepahvand R, et al. Vitamin E andomega‑3, 6 and 9 combinations
versus Vitamin E in the treatment of mastodynia. Jundishapur
Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products. 2015;10:e1865
11. Bekheradi R. Novel Herbal Therapy. 1st ed. Kashan: Motarjem;
1384.
12. Jafarnejad F, Hosseini SF, Mazloom SR, Hami M. Comparison
of the Effect of Fish Oil and Vitamin Eon Duration of Cyclic
Mastalgia. Mashhad: Mashhad University of Medical Science;
2013.
13. Emami A, Fasihi S, Mehregan I. Medicinal Plants. 1st ed. Tehran:
Iran University of Medical Sciences; 1389. p. 807‑14.
14. Thompson LU, Chen JM, Li T, Strasser‑Weippl K, Goss PE. Dietary
flaxseed alters tumor biological markers in postmenopausal breast
cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2005;11:3828‑35.
15. Karst K. Flax: Nature’s richest source of lignans and alpha linolenic
acid. Total Health 2002;24,1.
16. Alvandipour M, Tayebi P, Alizadeh Navaie R, Khodabakhshi H.
Comparison between effect of evening primrose oil and Vitamin E
in treatment of cyclic Mastalgia. Babol Univ Med Sci 2010;2:7‑13.
17. Bostani KZ, Abedinzadeh M, Safari A. Comparison of acupressure
effect on sanyinjiao point with that of Vitamin E on primary
dysmenorrhea. Armaghane danesh. 2009;14:35‑43.
18. Momeni H, Salehi A, Seraji A. The comparison of Vitex agnus castus
and evening primrose oil on women’s depression: A clinical trial.
Yakhteh 2013;15:67‑76.
19. Blommers J, de Lange‑De Klerk ES, Kuik DJ, Bezemer PD, Meijer S.
Evening primrose oil and fish oil for severe chronic mastalgia: a
randomized, double‑blind, controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol
2002;187:1389‑94.
)