Rethinking Menopause with Botanical Science

Menopause is a physiological transition that all women go through sooner or later — typically between ages 45 and 55, with a global average onset around 51 years. It is a delicate period, often experienced with apprehension, partly because of its bothersome symptoms charge. The numbers help illustrate the true scale of the phenomenon: according to a recent meta-analysis that examined 321 studies involving over 482,000 women, the prevalence of joint and muscle disorders exceeds 65%, while insomnia reaches 51.6%, and depression stands at around 43%. Hot flashes — the most characteristic symptom of menopause — affect between 50% and 80% of women in the West, with significant variations linked to geography, ethnicity, and individual metabolic profiles. Even more significant are the data of a global survey published in Menopause, according to which 40% of postmenopausal European women experience moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, and more than half of those eligible for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prefer not to receive it.

This data raises a question: is there a natural, effective, safe, and scientifically documented alternative to alleviate menopausal symptoms?

The decline of estrogen levels: the mechanism behind it all

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s fertile period and thus a natural decrease in female hormones, particularly estradiol. This is the reason for the most well-known acute menopausal symptoms — hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, chronic fatigue — but also triggers a series of long-term metabolic effects: increased cardiovascular risk, decreased bone density (progressing toward osteopenia and osteoporosis), changes in lipid profile, and increased systemic oxidative stress.

The most widely used treatment for menopausal symptoms and preventing the development of related conditions is undoubtedly Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT); however, it is generally recommended only for women with specific risk factors, due to potential side effects.

Estrogens exert their action by binding to specific nuclear receptors (ERα and ERβ), distributed in various tissues: from the central nervous system to the cardiovascular system, from bones to the urogenital tract. This is the target of both HRT and phytoestrogens, complex plant molecules with estradiol-like structure, and therefore capable of interacting with the same receptors.

Phytoestrogens: a heterogeneous botanical category

The term “phytoestrogens”, however, includes chemical compounds that are very diverse among them. The main classes include:

• Isoflavones (genistein, daidzein): found in legumes such as soybeans and red clover. These are likely the most studied and widely marketed phytoestrogens.
• Cumestans (cumestrol), found primarily in red clover.
• Lignans: found in flax and other grains.
• Prenylated chalcones and prenylated flavanones: found in hops (Humulus lupulus L.).

Humulus lupulus L.: much more than just beer

Hops are a dioecious climbing plant of the Cannabaceae family, native to the temperate regions of Eurasia. Their female inflorescences — the characteristic cones or strobiles — have been used in beer production since at least the 11th century, but their medicinal use predates the brewing industry by a long time.

A thousand-year-old tradition

The earliest evidence of the medicinal use of hops in Europe dates back to the 9th century. In central and northern Europe, the practice of “hop pillows”— small bags of dried strobiles placed under the pillow to aid sleep — spread rapidly. According to a widely cited historical source, even King George III of England resorted to this remedy for insomnia.

A curious and revealing observation accompanied hop cultivation for centuries: hop pickers, women in the vast majority, experienced drowsiness during hop harvests, more so than fatigue alone could explain. Some of them also reported changes in their menstrual cycles.

The German Commission E and ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy) authorized the use of hops for the management of nervous tension and sleep disturbances, thus validating a centuries-old tradition.

The key molecule: 8-prenylnaringenin

8-Prenylnaringenin (8-PN), a prenylated flavanone with a chemical structure that can mimic 17β-estradiol, differs from other phytoestrogens due to its affinity for the ERα receptor. As documented in a review, it is 10 times more potent than coumestrol and 100 times more potent than genistein—the main phytoestrogens found in soy and red clover. It is present in small quantities in hop cones, but it forms within the gut by microbial flora from its precursors, xanthohumol (X) and isoxanthohumol (IX).

EPO’s dry extract, standardized in xanthumol and isoxanthumol, has demonstrated, in a specific cellular model, pro-estrogenic activity, increasing the expression of genes involved in the regulation of female hormones.

Rosa canina L.: the ancestor of all roses

Rosa canina L. is a wild rose from which most of the cultivated roses are derived. A shrub typically found on the edges of forests and in rural hedgerows across Europe—and sometimes even considered an invasive shrub—it has long captured the attention of artists, yet its extraordinary beauty is not the sole focus of the scientific community.

The fruit of the dog rose — the rosehip — contains a very rich and diverse phytochemical profile that includes vitamin C (ascorbic acid, in concentrations, in the fresh fruit, exceeding those of citrus fruits by 20–40 times), polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, ellagitannins), carotenoids (lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene), galactolipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and mucilage.

Anti-inflammatory and pro-estrogenic activity

A systematic review, analyzing 24 pharmacological studies, has documented how the phytochemical profile of Rosa canina L. matches its long-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, thereby justifying its beneficial effect in osteoarthritis.

As we have seen, joint discomfort is typical of menopause; osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the progressive destruction of articular cartilage, accompanied by inflammation and bone remodeling. In a preclinical study,  EPO’s dry extract, standardized in polyphenols, demonstrated a positive effect on the expression of a gene (SOX9) critical for the maintenance and repair of articular cartilage, even under inflammatory conditions, similar to that of estradiol; this confirms its pro-estrogenic activity, which was also observed in another cellular model in the same study.

Cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women

The decline in estrogen levels associated with menopause significantly increases cardiovascular risk: it worsens the lipid profile, promotes the progression of atherosclerosis, reduces endothelial vasodilation, and increases systemic inflammation. In this context, rose hips may offer a beneficial effect.

As reported in a recent review, several preclinical studies have documented a cardioprotective effect, resulting from improvements in lipid profile and oxidative damage.

Lavender: calm after the storm

Another consequence of hormonal imbalances during menopause is mood and sleep disturbances. The lavender dry extract produced by EPO, standardized in polyphenols and obtained exclusively from Lavandula angustifolia Mill., significantly inhibited the release of cortisol, the so-called “stress hormone”, in an experimental model commonly used to investigate the mechanism of action of molecules with anti-anxiety activity, with the same pattern previously demonstrated for Scutellaria lateriflora L. (BlueCALM®).

EPO’s SereWoMen Plus line: certified-quality botanicals

The complexity of menopausal symptoms requires a multi-targeted approach. That is why EPO Srl has created the SereWoMen Plus line — a range of high-quality plant extracts covering various physiological functions — formulated for those seeking effective, safe, and traceable botanical ingredients.

The line includes extracts of Panax ginseng, Lavandula angustifolia, Malva silvestris, Althaea officinalis, Griffonia simplicifolia, Humulus lupulus, and Rosa canina—each with a specific bioactive profile that complements the others.

For information on the extracts in the SereWoMen Plus line, visit www.eposrl.com or contact the EPO sales team.