PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE POTENTIAL FOR PATHOGENETIC PHYTOTHERAPY OF UTERINE FIBROIDS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1811-2471.2025.v.i3.15287Keywords:
uterine fibroids, treatment, phytotherapyAbstract
Summary. Uterine fibroids are among the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive system worldwide. The disease is often asymptomatic and is frequently diagnosed incidentally during preventive clinical examinations. Currently, the incidence of uterine fibroids among women aged 50 and older is around 70–80 %. Uterine fibroids are now the most common indication for hysterectomy globally.
The aim – to analyze the literature data regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of uterine fibroids using both conventional and phytotherapeutic methods. To summarize recommendations on the use of medicinal plants with various mechanisms of action to address the pathogenetic chains of disease development. To evaluate the prospects of phytotherapy in fibroid treatment.
Material and Methods. Domestic and foreign literature sources were analyzed concerning the pathogenesis of fibroid development, pharmacological treatment options, and the use of medicinal plants in managing this pathology. The research method used was literature review.
Results. Based on the literature review, the following medicinal plants demonstrate the greatest pharmacotherapeutic potential for conservative treatment of uterine fibroids due to their choleretic, anti-inflammatory, uterotonic, antiestrogenic, and sedative effects. These primarily include infusions and decoctions of Helichrysum arenarium (sandy everlasting), Achillea millefolium (common yarrow), Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s purse), Echium vulgare (viper’s bugloss), Leonurus cardiaca (motherwort), and others. In our opinion, it is rational to combine plants from different pharmacological groups targeting various pathogenetic mechanisms of fibroid development, taking into account the form of the disease.
Conclusions. Considering the multifactorial pathogenesis of uterine fibroids, even with modern advancements in surgical and therapeutic treatment methods, the use of medicinal plants and their rational combinations tailored to the individual characteristics of a patient’s condition and comorbidities can be effective and beneficial. It is evident that, for the effective and safe use of phytotherapy (not only for fibroids), a more thorough study of the pharmacology of active compounds in medicinal plant raw materials is required – especially those that have been traditionally used in folk medicine for treating "women’s diseases." A wise saying holds that there are no useless plants – only those that are yet to be studied.
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