Acmella oleracea and Boswellia serrata for Symptom Relief and Reduced Analgesic Use in Women with Dysmenorrhea.

Background and aim: Dysmenorrhea causes intense menstrual pain and symptoms such as cramps, headaches, and nausea. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) offer relief but have limited efficacy and side effects, prompting interest in alternative therapies. This study evaluated a food supplement with Acmella oleracea and Boswellia serrata for dysmenorrhea symptom management in women with inadequate NSAIDs response.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 33 women aged 20-35 with dysmenorrhea-related symptoms who had experienced insufficient relief from NSAIDs alone. Participants received the food supplement in addition to NSAIDs over three menstrual cycles. The primary outcome was the reduction in pain intensity. Secondary outcomes included changes in NSAIDs use and symptom prevalence (e.g., cramps, lower back pain, and dyspareunia). Data were collected at baseline and after 3 months of treatment.

Results: After 3 months, general pain and migraine decreased significantly, with mean Numeric Rating Scale scores decreasing from 8.2 (±1.02) to 6.8 (±1.08; p < 0.0001) and from 8.3 (±0.90) to 4.8 (±0.87; p < 0.0001), respectively. NSAIDs use decreased by 40%, with 46.2% of patients no longer requiring NSAIDs. Symptom-specific reductions included cramps, lower back pain, muscle tension, lower abdominal cramps, and nausea. Dyspareunia showed a 25% reduction. The supplement was well-tolerated, with no adverse events reported.

Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that this food supplement may effectively reduce dysmenorrhea symptoms and reliance on NSAIDs in patients with insufficient response to conventional therapies. Further validation through randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm these results and establish the supplement's role in dysmenorrhea management.