The Effects of Herbal Medicines on Sexual Function and Sexual Satisfaction among Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Context: Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common problems of women affecting their living standards. Concerns about the side effects of chemical drugs and the tendency to use complementary medicine have led to the introduction of herbal medicines as an alternative option to improve this disorder. Objectives: This study was planned to systematically investigate the effects of herbal medicines on sexual function and sexual satisfaction of women of reproductive age. Data Sources: All related articles published in English or Persian from 2000 to February 28, 2022, were reviewed. The international databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, and the national SID database were searched. Then, the articles were reviewed by two independent researchers. The data were combined using meta-analysis and the random effect model. Results: The findings of 12 studies entered into the meta-analysis showed that in the group of herbal medicines, the total score of female sexual function significantly improved (0.95; %95 CI: 0.803 - 1.097) (P = 0.001). Also, the sexual satisfaction score was higher in the group of herbal medicines (0.84; %95 CI: 0.476 - 1.21), which was significant (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Herbal medicines positively affect sexual function and sexual satisfaction of women of reproductive age and can be an effective and safe treatment for female sexual dysfunction (FSD). However, more studies with larger sample sizes on women of reproductive age are needed to achieve definitive conclusions.