Serotonergic Botanicals for Menopausal Treatment

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Menopausal women suffer a wide range of symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance, insomnia, depression and mood changes, a result of reduced levels of estrogenic hormones in the body. These symptoms lead to a negative effect on their quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was originally developed as a means to combat these effects; however, recent studies have shown that HRT can cause increased endometrial and breast cancer risks thereby motivating women to refuse treatment or seek alternative avenues of treatment. As a result, in recent years, a growing interest in botanical dietary supplements has occurred; however, in most cases the efficacy of these supplements lack scientific evidence thus resulting in a necessity to provide substantial and high quality research for these natural remedies. Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh), Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai), and Valerian officinalis (Valerian) have all proven effective botanical treatments for the relief of hot flashes and as a sleeping aid, respectively, in clinical trials. Ms. Powell's main goal will be to investigate a variety of plant extracts and active compounds to evaluate their serotonergic activity .The training will continue providing the applicant with opportunity to build stronger problem-solving and technical skills utilizing scientific methodology. This research will incur in vitro methods of cell culture and enzyme kinetics as well as in vivo animal models. This will also serve to prepare Ms. Powell for her future career in research focused on botanical and dietary supplements and add to the scientific literature on the topic. The core hypothesis of this study is to examine plant extracts that have not only shown serotonergic activity, but also plant extracts with potential serotonergic activity for the relief of menopausal symptoms without leading to detrimental side effects such as breast or endometrial cancer. The specific aims are to evaluate the serotonergic activity of plant extracts in vitro, as it relates to maintenance of thermoregulation, mood, and circadian rhythm. Evaluation and determination of antidepressant activity of plant extracts in vitro, followed by bioassay guided fractionation to isolate active components of the botanical dietary supplements. In short, advancements in natural plant remedies can prove a valuable alternative form of treatment for menopausal and postmenopausal women who are concerned about the side effects caused by hormone replacement therapy. The discovery of an effective botanical extract that relieves any menopausal symptoms will potentially improve quality of life and peace of mind for all affected women.