Primary dysmenorrhoea among reproductive-age women at Kuala Selangor health clinic: Prevalence and factors associated

INTRODUCTION

Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) is a frequent gynaecological condition in adolescents and adult women worldwide, affecting their daily activity and leading to a lower quality of life. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence, severity, and factors associated with PD among reproductive-age women at Kuala Selangor Health Clinic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study used systematic random sampling at the Kuala Selangor Health Clinic from 3rd July to 29th September 2017. This study included 213 women between the age of 18 and 35 years old. The questionnaires consist of sociodemographic, lifestyle activities, and menstrual history components with Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for menstrual pain as well as the Pictorial Blood Assessment Chart (PBAC) to quantify the blood loss during menstruation.

RESULTS

A total of 210 women participated in this study with a response rate of 98.6%. The prevalence of PD was 60.5% with 13.4%, 75.6%, and 11.0% for mild, moderate, and severe in intensity, respectively. Nulliparous (OR: 5.1, CI: 1.508, 17.277, p = 0.009), first-degree family history of dysmenorrhoea (OR: 4.431, CI: 1.727, 11,368, p = 0.002), heavy menstrual blood flow (OR: 11.6, CI: 2.849, 47.53, p <0.001), and lack of regular physical exercise (OR: 14.037, CI: 5.161, 38.183, p < 0.001) were found as the significant association for PD. Meanwhile, having a short menstruation reduces the risk of PD during menstruation (OR: 0.04, CI: 0.004, 0.391, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

PD is prevalent among reproductive-age women. Physical exercise is a protective factor for PD, hence health care providers particularly those in primary care settings should regularly counsel and encourage women to be physically active.

A review on the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Alpinia officinarum Hance

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Alpinia officinarum Hance is a perennial plant that has been traditionally used for many decades to treat several ailments including inflammation, pain, stomach-ache, cold, amongst others. Pharmacological studies over the years have demonstrated remarkable bioactivities that could be further explored for development of new therapeutic agents against various ailments.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The paper critically reviewed the ethno-medicinal uses, pharmacology, and phytochemistry of A. officinarum.

METHODS

Keywords including A. officinarum and its synonyms were searched using electronic databases including ISI web of knowledge, Science direct, Scopus, PubMed, Google scholar and relevant database for Masters and Doctoral theses.

RESULTS

A. officinarum is prepared in Asia, Turkey, Morocco and Iran as a decoction, infusion or juice as a single preparation or in combination with other herbs, food or drinks for the treatment of general health problems including cold, inflammation, digestive disorders, etc. Pharmacological studies revealed the potent in vitro and in vivo bioactivities of various parts of A. officinarum that include anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, homeostasis, lipid regulation, antioxidant, antiviral, antimicrobial, antiosteoporosis, etc. Over 90 phytochemical constituents have been identified and isolated from A. officinarum comprising vastly of phenolic compounds especially diarylheptanoids isolated from the rhizome and considered the most active bioactive components.

CONCLUSION

In vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed the potency of A. officinarum. However, further studies are required to establish the mechanisms mediating its bioactivities in relation to the medicinal uses as well as investigating any potential toxicity for future clinical studies.